Flipped: The Aftermath of being flipped
by Fiddlegirl
Summary: This takes place after Flipped ends. Bryce and Juli move forward in their relationship. What will happen? Will they ever break up or will they be together for the rest of their life?
1. Chapter 1

{Hi! This is a new story I am creating. This takes place after Flipped ends. I hope you enjoy!}

BRYCE'S POV

After we are done planting her tree, I look up at her. She smiles at me. She looks so beautiful. I am mesmerized by her smile. I slowly stand up. She stands up and brushes her clothes off from the dirt.

"Thanks," she says. I look at her.

"Well, now you can always have your tree," I say. She smiles at me. I find myself staring in her eyes.

"Bryce, about the kiss…" she starts to say. What is she going to say? Is she going to get mad again?

"Yes?" I ask her. She stares at me.

"I was scared to do it in front of the entire class. I was scared people would make fun of me. I also thought they would make fun of you," she says. I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. I don't care if people make fun of me. Juli is amazing. I wouldn't care what people think.

"I don't care. I just….I guess I just….," I try to say. What am I trying to say? Oh, now she's staring at me.

"You're just…what?" she asks me. I don't know what to say. I want to tell her I like her. I want to tell her that the tree was showing how I felt, but I can't. I can't bring myself to say those words. I can't do anything. All I can do is smile and shake my head.

"Nothing," I say. She stares at me.

"Bryce, how can I trust you if you can't talk to me?" she asks me. I look at her. She doesn't trust me? I never wanted that to happen. She can trust me. I'm a good kid.

"You can trust me," I say. She stares at me.

"I think I hear my dad calling me. I have to go," she says. She starts to turn around. I can't let her go right now. I can't leave the conversation like this. I started out feeling great, but now I feel awful.

I reach out and grab her arm.

"Juli, wait…" I say. She turns to look at me.

"What?" she asks me. I stare at her.

"The tree symbolizes how I feel for you," I say. There, I said it! She looks confused.

"What feeling? Hate, confusion, anger, fear, jealousy? There are so many feelings in the world, Bryce. What feeling does the tree symbolize?" she asks me. Why does she always have to ask me questions like this? It's one of the great things I like about her.

"It symbolizes…..something you didn't mention," I say. Why can't I say it? Love. Do I love Juli though? Is like a feeling? Do I love her? I wish I knew. I wish this wasn't so confusing.

"Can you just tell me?" she asks me. I stare at her. I'm so scared right now. This isn't easy to say.

I reach down and write my feeling in the dirt. I spell it out. LOVE.

I stand up and look at her. She looks at me and doesn't say anything. She turns around and runs into her house.

"Bye Bryce! I got to go!" she shouts. She slams her door shut and I look at the words I spelled out. Does this mean she doesn't love me?

I scrap my foot across the dirt. I erase the words I spelled out. I turn around and walk back home.

I enter my house and see Chet. He's reading the newspaper.

"Bryce, I saw you across the street with Juli Baker. What did you do?" he asks me. I sit down across from him.

"I planted a tree for her," I say. He smiles at me.

"Did she like it?" he asks me. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I guess so," I say. He stares outside.

"Why did she run away from you?" he asks me. I shrug my shoulders. I really don't know the answer to that. I wish I knew why.

"I wrote the words LOVE in the dirt. I said the tree symbolizes that feeling," I say. He stares at me. He nods his head, and puts his newspaper away.

"You love her?" he asks me. I look at him. I never really thought about it. I just wrote the word down without thinking. Is that love? You don't even have to think about it? It just happens?

"Yeah," I say. I love Juli Baker. I love her. I smile down into my hands.

"I could tell," he says. I look up at him. How?

"How?" I ask him. He smiles and looks at me.

"Bryce, the way one smiles and talks when one is in love is magical. When you're in love, you only think about that one person. You tell that person you love them without even thinking about it. I can tell she loves you too," he says. I stare at him. How can he tell?

"How can you tell? I can't tell," I say. He smiles and looks across the street.

"Well, she's looking outside at the tree you planted right now. She's smiling. She ran away from you. She got scared. A women in love is also scared," he says. I stare at him and look across the street. I see Juli looking outside her window. I smile and look at Chet.

"Thanks, Chet," I say. I stand up and walk into my bedroom. I close my door, and sit on my bed. I don't know what's going to happen from this day on, but I know it's going to be the best time of my life.


	2. Chapter 2

JULI'S POV

It's been two months since Bryce planted the sycamore tree in my yard. I have realized that Bryce is a great guy. He's nice to me. He loves me. I should love him back, but do I? I really wish I knew that answer.

So, here I am sitting on the sidewalk at the bus stop. I'm waiting for the bus to come. I see Bryce walking toward me. Oh, he looks nice today. He always looks nice.

He smiles at me as he sits down next to me.

"Hi Juli," he says. I smile and wave at him.

"Hi Bryce," I say. He looks down at his shoes. He looks nervous. Why is he nervous? He's always nervous around me. Why do I make him nervous? I'm his friend.

"Juli, can I ask you something?" he asks me. I nod my head and stare at him. His hands are shaking. I reach down and hold them. I know that's a little weird, but I don't like how he's nervous. I want to stop it.

He stares at my hands on top of his. I hear him gulp. He looks into my eyes. His wonderful, blue eyes are sparkling.

"Will you go…to dinner….with me on…Saturday?" he asks me. I stare at him. He's asking me out on a date. All of my life I have waited for this day. It has finally come. Bryce Loski, my Bryce, is asking me out.

"Like, on a date?" I ask him. He nods his head.

"Yes," he whispers. I smile and nod my head.

"I would love to," I say. He looks at me and smiles.

"Great! I'll pick you up at seven," he says. I smile, and hear the bus coming. It stops in front of us. We both climb onto it. I'm so happy. Bryce asked me out. My life is complete.

BRYCE'S POV

"Will…you go…to dinner…with me on…Saturday?" I ask her. I can't believe I'm doing this. I just asked Juli Baker out on a date. Yeah, Juli Baker. I'm in love with her. I just really hope she says yes.

"Like, on a date?" she asks me. I nod my head. I hope she doesn't say no. I don't know I would be able to go to school. She needs to say yes. We need to be together. She's my whole life. Her and I. We're amazing together. I hope she sees that.

"Yes," I whisper. I look at her. I see her smiling. She's smiling! Is that a good thing? She nods her head. She's nodding her head! She's saying yes!

"I would love to," she says. I feel myself smiling. I'm going on a date with Juli Baker! Juli Baker! Yes!

"Great! I'll pick you up at seven," I say. I feel so happy right now. I hear the school bus coming. I don't want to go to school. I just want to sit here with Juli all day. I just want to talk to her.

The school bus arrives. We both climb onto it. I sit down in a seat and smile. I'm going on a date with Juli Baker in two days. My life is complete.

It's Saturday night. It's six thirty. I am looking at my closet. I don't know what to wear. I have dress pants on. I stare at my dress shirts. Why is this so hard? I want to look nice for Juli. I want to impress her.

*KNOCK! KNOCK!*

I turn around and see Chet standing next to my door. He's smiling at me.

"Hi Chet," I say. He stands at my door, watching me get dressed.

"Are you ready for your big date with Juli?" he asks me. I shake my head.

"I don't know what to do, Chet. I don't know what to wear. I don't know what to do when I see her. I don't know what to say. I'm so confused," I say. He smiles and walks into my room. He takes a shirt out of my closet and hands it to me.

"Wear this, and don't be scared. Juli Baker obviously likes you for you. Just be yourself. Everything will be okay," he says. I put my shirt on. I wish I knew how to be myself. That's hard to do when I'm around Juli.

"How did you feel when you had your first date with Grandma?" I ask him. He smiles and looks up at the ceiling.

"I felt just like you feel. Scared, confused and stupid. My stomach felt like it was going to explode. I couldn't walk straight. My hands wouldn't stop shaking," he says. That's exactly how I feel. How did he get over it?

"How did you get over it?" I ask him. He looks at me and smiles.

"When I saw her, everything changed. My fears went away. That's what happens with soul mates. All of your fears disappear when you're with her," he says. I stare at him. I hope he's right.

"Thanks, Chet. I should go," I say. I walk past him.

"Bryce," I hear him say. I turn around and look at him.

"Yeah?" I ask him. He smiles and walks over to me.

"Everything will be okay," he says. I smile and turn around and walk out of my bedroom.

JULI'S POV

I don't know what to wear. It's six thirty. I'm staring at my closet. I'm clueless about dates. I want to look nice for Bryce. I want to impress him. I want him to think I'm beautiful.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

I turn around and see my mother standing at my bedroom door. I smile and run over to her.

"Oh, Mom. I don't know what to do. This is my first date. I don't know what to wear. I don't know what say to Bryce. Please, tell me what to do," I say. She hugs me and laughs. She strokes my hair.

"Oh, Juli. You need to calm down," she says. She walks into my room and looks into my closet. She pulls out a yellow dress. She hands it to me.

"Wear this. It'll bring out your lovely eyes," she says. I smile, and put on my dress. I brush my hair.

"How did you feel when you had your first date with Dad?" I ask her. She smiles and sits down on my bed.

"I feel queasy and scared. I didn't want to go. I actually thought about calling him and cancelling our date," she says. She laughs ands looks up at me.

"I don't want to cancel my date with Bryce," I say. She stands up and pats my shoulder.

"Then, you're going to okay. Bryce is a good kid. I approve of him. Your dad approves of him. He treats you with respect. He loves you, Juli. Everything will be okay," she says. I smile up at her. I place my brush on my dresser.

"I hope you're right," I say. She smiles and nods my head.

"I am right," she says. I laugh and walk out of my room. I hear someone knocking on the front door. I gulp and look at my mom. She smiles and motions for me to open it.

I open the front door and see Bryce standing on my front porch.

"Hi," I say. He stares at me and smiles.

"Hi," he says. I smile at him.

"Hi," I say. He continues to smile.

"Hi," he says. My dad laughs and walks over to us.

"Well, I think the hellos are taken care of. Bryce, have her home by nine," he says. Bryce nods his head.

"Yes, sir," he says. I smile, and step outside. I close my front door and walk with Bryce.

"So, where are we going?" I ask him. He slowly takes my hand and places it in his.

"I know this little diner a few blocks away," he says. I smile and we continue to walk.

"Thanks for tonight," I say. He smiles and looks at me.

"You're welcome. You look….beautiful," he says. I blush and look at him.

"You look handsome," I say. Then, we continue to walk. We continue to talk about school and our home life. I get to know Bryce. That night was one of the best nights of my life. We talked about stuff. My fears went away. I once heard that your fears disappear when you're with your soul mate. Is Bryce my soul mate? If he is, I'll be okay with that.

BRYCE'S POV

Tonight is great. Juli and I are sitting at a table in a diner. We are eating dinner. She's laughing at my jokes. I'm not even trying to be funny, but she's laughing.

She looks beautiful. She's wearing a yellow dress that brings out her eyes. She's great.

As we talk and eat, I realize that my stomach isn't exploding anymore. My hands aren't shaking. I am able to talk to her without the need to vomit.

Chet was right. Your fears really do disappear when you're with your soul mate. If that means Juli is my soul mate, well, I couldn't be happier.


	3. Chapter 3

BRYCE'S POV

I am standing at the bus stop. I see Garrett walking over to me. He's glaring at me. What does he want?

"Garrett, what do you want?" I ask him. He looks at me and smiles.

"Are you still together with Juli Baker?" he asks me. I nod my head and cross my arms across my chest. I don't like the feeling of this conversation.

"Yeah, we're together," I say. He shakes his head.

"What's your problem? Don't you see that she's disgusting, ugly and a retard? How can you possibly like her?" he asks me. I feel the anger pumping through my body. How dare he insult Juli like that! I want to punch him. I should punch him.

"Take that back," I say. I glare at him. He shakes his head, and steps toward me.

"Oh, so now you're the protective boyfriend protecting your perfect little princess?" he asks me. I glare at him. I place my hands on his chest, and push him away from me.

"Get away from me, Garrett!" I shout. He steps toward me again.

"What? Juli is a retard, so that makes you a retard for liking her," he says.

"She's not a retard. She's really smart," I say. I lose my temper. I reach over and punch Garrett in the face. He steps back, and falls to the ground.

"BRYCE!" a voice behind me shouts. I turn around and see Juli running toward me.

"Juli…" I say. She runs up to me, and puts her hand on my shoulder. Electricity runs through my body.

"Why did you do that?" she asks me. I stare into her eyes.

"He insulted you," I say. Garrett stands up and walks over to us.

"You'll pay for that, Bryce. You will pay," he says. He walks away from us. I look at Juli. She looks scared.

"Bryce, is he going to hurt you?" she asks me. I shrug my shoulders. I'm not sure if Garrett will hurt me or not. He probably can. Though, I'm pretty strong too.

"I don't know. He will try," I say. She stares into my eyes.

"Be careful," she whispers. I nod my head and place my hand in hers. The bus pulls up to the bus stop, and we climb on.

JULI'S POV

I am walking to the bus stop when I see Bryce punch Garrett in the face. I gasp and run over to them.

"BRYCE!" I shout. He turns to look at me.

"Juli…" he says. I put my hand on his shoulder. He blushes.

"Why did you do that?" I ask him. He stares into my eyes.

"He insulted you," he says. Garrett stands up and glares at Bryce.

"You'll pay for that, Bryce. You will pay," he says as he walks away. I stare at him. I'm so scared for Bryce. Garrett's voice sounded like he wanted to kill Bryce.

"Bryce, is he going to hurt you?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know. He will try," he says. I stare at him. I don't want him to get hurt.

"Be careful," I whisper. He nods his head, and places his hand in mine. I blush and smile up at him. The school bus arrives and we both climb on.

{SEVERAL HOURS LATER}

I am sitting at my desk in my room. I'm doing my homework. Suddenly, I hear a rock hit my window. What was that? I walk over to my window. I look outside and see Bryce standing in my yard. I smile down at him. I open my window so we can talk.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Do you want to go to the park with me?" he asks me. He's taking me to the park? Oh! That will be so much fun!

"Yeah, I can finish my homework later," I say. I close my window, and walk out of my room. I grab my jacket, and see my mom and dad sitting in the living room.

"Hi," I say. Mom stares up at me.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asks me. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I'm going to the park with Bryce," I say. She smiles at me. Dad sighs and looks at the clock.

"Be home by seven," he says. I nod my head, and walk to the door.

"I will. Bye," I say. I step outside of my house and see Bryce waiting for me in the driveway. I walk over to him. He smiles, and places his hand in mine. I love this so much!

"Hi," I say. He looks down at me.

"Hi," he says. We walk to the park.

"Do you think Garrett is still mad at you?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulders.

"I never really know what he's thinking. I don't even care," he says. I stare at him. What did Garrett say about me? Why was it so bad that it made Bryce punch him in the face?

We arrive at the park. We both sit down on the swing set. We slowly swing together.

"Bryce, can I ask you a question?" I ask him.

"Yeah, anything," he says. I gulp and look at him.

"What did Garrett say about me?" I ask him. I see him gulp. He stops swinging. I also stop. He places his hands on mine. He stares into my eyes.

"He said that you were disgusting, ugly and a retard. He wondered how I can possibly like you. He also said that I was the protective boyfriend who has to protect the perfect little princess. Then, he said that you were a retard, and how that makes me a retard for liking you," he says.

I gasp and shake my head. That's horrible! That's so mean! How could Garrett say that stuff? That's horrible.

"That was so mean," I say. He nods his head.

"Yeah, that's why I punched him. I couldn't control my anger anymore. I just blew up," he says. I nod my head. I completely understand. Garrett was a jerk. He deserved to be punched in the face.

"I understand why you did it," I say. He stares into my eyes. He slowly leans forward. What is he doing? Is he going to kiss me? Oh, wow. Don't run away this time! I want to kiss him. I slowly lean forward too. He closes his eyes. I close my eyes. Our lips are practically touching. I can feel his breath on my face. He reaches up and holds my cheek.

"Well….look at the love birds about to have their first kiss!" someone shouts. We both pull away from each other. We were so close. Bryce looks mad. He looks up at the person. His face slowly turns to anger. I turn to look at the person. It's Garrett.

"Garrett, why are you here?" I ask him. He smiles and walks over to us.

"I think we have some unfinished business to take care of," he says. Bryce stands up. What is he going to do? Are Garrett and Bryce going to fight? I should leave. I shouldn't have to see this.

"Garrett, leave us alone," Bryce says. Garrett shakes his head.

"Ever since you have flipped, I feel a lot of anger toward you," he says. He raises his hand, and punches Bryce in the face. Bryce falls back and falls to the ground.

"BRYCE!" I shout. Garrett turns toward me.

"Oh, you hate seeing that happen to your precious Bryce? Well, let's see that happen to you too," he says. I scream as he walks toward me. Is he going to punch me? Is he going to hurt me?

"Garrett, stop it!" Bryce shouts. Bryce manages to stand up. He runs over and yanks Garrett away from me. He punches him in the face. Go Bryce!

Suddenly, Garrett punches Bryce in the nose and stomach. Bryce falls to the ground. His eyes roll to the back of his head. Bryce, don't pass out! Don't!

"BRYCE!" I shout. I run over to him. I place my hands on his cheek. He's passed out.

"Oh, isn't that sweet…."Garrett says. I glare up at him.

"You monster! How could you do this to your best friend? What kind of a sick person are you?" I ask him. He laughs and walks over to me.

"I'm not a monster," he says. I nod my head.

"Yes, you are. You made your best friend pass out. That's not cool!" I shout. He glares at me.

"Hey! He is dating a loser. It's not my problem he's in love with a freak," he says. I glare up at him. That's not nice!

"Hey! I'm not a freak…or a loser. And, if Bryce loves me….loves me…uhhh….then…that's fine with him. That's between us! Not you! So, why don't you just leave?" I ask him. He stares down at me. He sighs and rolls his eyes.

"Fine, I'm out of here. You disgust me," he says. He walks away from us. I look down at Bryce. His eyes are still closed. I place my hand on his cheek.

"Bryce, wake up. Please…." I whisper. I do the only thing I can think of. I lean down and kiss him on the lips. Oh….my….gosh! This is excellent! I'm kissing Bryce Loski! AHH!

I pull away from him. I stare down at him. His eyes slowly start to open. I gasp, and smile.

"Bryce…." I whisper. He looks up at me. He smiles.

"You kissed me," he says. I nod my head. I lean down and kiss him again. This is great. I love him. I love Bryce Loski. I couldn't be happier than I am right now.


	4. Chapter 4

{A/N: Here is another chapter for you guys. I'm sorry it's been a long time since I have updated, but I have been so busy. Please forgive me. Well, my birthday is this Thursday. I can't wait! Well, I hope you like this chapter. Happy reading!}

BRYCE'S POV

I have been dating Juli for a few months now. My life has been amazing. She's brilliant, and I love her. She brightens my life every time I see her.

I enter my house, and instantly hear yelling. What's going on now?

"Dad! Why would you say that to Mom? You're such an evil person!" Lynetta yells. I look upstairs. I see Lynetta running into her room. I run upstairs, and knock on her door.

"GO AWAY!" she yells.

"Lynetta, it's Bryce. What happened?" I asked her. The door opens, and she pulls me inside. She closes the door and locks it. She turns to face me.

"Mom and Dad are splitting up," she says. I stare up at her. Splitting up? What?

"What do you mean?" I ask her. She rolls her eyes.

"Come on, Bryce. Do I have to spell it out for you? Dad's moving out. He's not coming back. They're going to get a divorce," she says. I stare at her. Wow. This is shocking.

"I didn't expect that to happen," I say. She stares at me.

"You didn't? I did," she says. I stare up at her.

"Why are they getting a divorce?" I ask her. She rolls her eyes and sits down at her desk.

"Haven't you been noticing them arguing all the time? They don't love each other anymore," she says. I stare at her with shock. I can't believe this.

"Is it our fault?" I ask her. She turns to look at me. She shakes her head.

"No, it's not our fault. They just can't live together anymore," she says. I nod my head.

"What's going to happen to us?" I ask her. She shrugs her shoulders.

"I assume that Dad will move out. Mom will stay here. We will live with her," she says. I nod my head. I would like that.

I stand up and walk over to her door. She turns to look at me.

"Bye Lynetta," I say. I open her door and walk out.

JULI'S POV

I am working on my homework when I hear a rock hit my window. I stand up and walk over to my window. I look outside and see Bryce looking up at me. I open my window.

"Hey," I say. He smiles up at me.

"Hi! Can I talk to you?" he asks me. I nod my head.

"What's up?" I ask him. He shakes his head.

"Can you come outside?" he asks me. I shake my head.

"I'm doing my homework, Bryce," I say. He stares at me.

"This is important," he says. I smile and shake my head.

"So is homework," I say. I can tell that he is getting angry.

"Juli, my parents are getting a divorce," he says. I stare down at him. I stare into his eyes. I see tears forming in his eyes. I grab my coat and nod my head.

"I'll be right down," I say. I close my window and walk out of my bedroom. I run downstairs and see my parents sitting in the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Dad asks me. I put my coat on and turn to look at them.

"Bryce wants to talk," I say. Mom turns to look at me.

"Did you get your homework all done?" she asks me. I shake my head.

"Not yet. I'm almost done," I say. Dad sighs and points upstairs.

"Go back upstairs and finish your homework. Bryce can wait," he says. I shake my head.

"Bryce really needs to talk to me. He's crying," I say. Mom looks concerned.

"What's wrong?" she asks me. I look at her and Dad.

"His parents are getting a divorce," I say. She nods her head.

"Poor thing," she says. Dad nods his head.

"Okay, you can go talk to him, but only for one hour, you hear me?" he asks. I nod my head and smile.

"Yes, thanks Dad," I say. I turn around and open the front door. I close the door and see Bryce. I walk over to him.

"Hi," I say. He looks at me and tries to smile.

"Hi," he says. I stare at him. I pull him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Bryce," I say. He nods his head and strokes my hair.

"I don't know what to do, Juli. My parents are fighting all the time. They yell at each other. They throw things at each other. My mom keeps calling my dad a bad name. My dad called my mom the b word. Chet tries to help my mom, but my dad just yells at him too. Lynetta stays in her room all the time. She said that my dad will probably move out of our house. I really hope he does. Though, Lynetta keeps saying that he might take me with him. I won't go with him, Juli! I won't live with him!" he shouts. He pulls away from me. I stare at him.

"I wish there was something I could do to help," I say. He stares at me.

"Do you realize that I might not see you ever again if my dad takes me away from here?" he asks me. I nod my head. I do realize that. I don't want that to happen. I have loved Bryce my whole life. Then, I fell out of love with him. Now, I'm back in love with him. We're dating. I love him and he loves me. I don't want him to move away.

"I realize that," I whisper. He moves toward me.

"I don't want to move away from you. I love you," he says. I smile and look at him.

"I love you too. We'll get through this. Your mom will probably get custody of you," I say. He nods his head.

"I hope she does," he says. I stare at him.

"Bryce, I'm really sorry. I wish you didn't have to go through this," I say. He smiles at me.

"Thanks," he says.

"BRYCE! GET YOUR LAZY BUTT OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!" his father shouts. We turn and see his father standing outside Bryce's house. Bryce gulps and looks at me.

"I guess I have to go," he says. I nod my head. I lean forward and kiss him on the lips. He deepens the kiss and places his hands on my waist. I smile and pull away from him.

"Be careful over there," I say. He smiles and nods his head.

"I will," he says. He begins to walk away. I kiss him once more.

"Love you," I say. He turns around and walks down my driveway.

"Love you," he says. I stare at him. I smile and turn around. I walk back into my house.

"Did you talk to Bryce?" Mom asks me. I nod my head.

"Yup, we did," I say. I run upstairs and into my bedroom. I sit down at my desk. I finish my homework and open my diary. I start a new diary entry.

Dear Diary,

Bryce's parents are getting a divorce. I feel awful for Bryce. He was really upset. He's scared that his dad will move out and take him with him. I really hope that doesn't happen. I love Bryce. He's amazing. Though, I bet that won't happen. His mom will probably win the custody for both of her children. I hope. Well, Bryce and I kissed again. I love kissing Bryce. He puts his hands on my waist and it makes me want to faint. I love him with all of my heart. I will always love him. Well, I have to go to bed. I'll write to you tomorrow. See you! Bye!

Juli Baker


	5. Chapter 5

BRYCE'S POV

Today, my dad is moving out of our house. I just don't understand why my parents are getting a divorce. They used to be happy. They used to be in love. What happened between them?

I am standing in my bedroom. This house won't be the same with my dad. For some reason though, I think it's going to be better. Isn't that crazy? My dad is leaving us, and I actually think it's a good thing. What is wrong with me?

My bedroom door opens, and my mom walks into my room. She smiles and puts my laundry away in my dresser.

"Bryce, your father is about to leave. If you want to say good-bye to him, you better do it now," she says. I nod my head.

"Mom, why are you and Dad getting a divorce?" I ask her. She stops walking, and turns to face me.

"We just don't get along anymore. I still love him, and he still loves me, but we have decided it would be better for the family if we went our separate ways," she says. I nod my head and walk to my bedroom door.

"Am I still going to live with you?" I ask her. She walks over to me and hugs me.

"I sure hope so," she whispers. I step away from her. She hopes so? What does that mean? Is there a possibility that I will live with my dad? I don't want that to happen. I don't know where my dad is moving. I don't want to leave my family. I don't want to leave Juli. I don't want to leave my life behind.

I turn away, and run downstairs. I see my dad standing at the front door. He has his jacket on, and his suitcases are surrounding his feet. He is talking to Lynetta. I walk over to them. He turns and smiles at me.

"Bryce, my boy! I was just thinking about when you were coming down here," he says. I nod my head and force myself to smile.

"Bye Dad," I say. He leans over and hugs me.

"Give me a hug!" he exclaims. I hug him, and step away. I look down at my feet.

"Well, bye," I say. He stares at me and nods his head.

"Bye," he says. Chet walks toward him.

"Bye," he says. My dad turns to look at him. He frowns and nods his head.

"Bye," he says. My mom finally walks downstairs. She walks over to my dad and smiles.

"Take care," she says. My dad looks down at her and nods his head.

"You too," he says. He opens the front door, and looks at us.

"Well, bye," he whispers. He closes the door. I gulp and close my eyes.

"Can I go over to Juli's house?" I ask my mom. She nods her head.

"Sure," she says. I open the front door, and run outside. I have to talk to Juli. Lately, she's the only one I can talk to in my life.

JULI'S POV

I hear knocking on my front door. I walk over, and open it. I see Bryce standing in front of me. I smile at him.

"Bryce, what are you doing here?" I ask him. He stares into my eyes.

"My dad just left us," he whispers. I gasp and stare at him. His eyes look like they're about to explode with tears. I step outside, and close my front door. I lead him over to our sycamore tree. I sit down on the cool grass, and he sits down next to me.

"I'm sorry, Bryce," I say. He puts his head into his hands.

"I just don't understand why they're getting a divorce. My mom said she stills loves my dad. She also said that he still loves her. They just don't get along anymore. They thought it was better for our family if they went their separate ways," he says. I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Bryce, do you miss your dad?" I ask him. He looks up at me. I see tears forming in my eyes.

"I never thought I would say this, but I do miss him. I think life will be better without him, but I'm still going to miss him. Life is just really hard right now," he says. I nod my head.

"Bryce, how is your mom dealing with this?" I ask him. I shrug my shoulders.

"I can't tell. She hides her feelings from me," he says. I look up at him.

"Bryce, I know this is crazy but can I tell you something?" I ask him. He nods his head.

"What?" he asks me. I gulp and look at the grass.

"Today is our five month anniversary," I whisper. He stops moving, and looks into my eyes.

"Really?" he asks me. I nod my head.

"I'm sorry. I completely forgot," he says. I wince and nod my head. It kind of hurts my feelings that he forgot our anniversary, but I understand what he's been going through at his home.

"It's fine. I was kind of planning on going to see my uncle Daniel today with my dad," I say. He looks at me and smiles.

"Your uncle Daniel? Is he the retarded one?" he asks me. I nod my head and look away. He doesn't understand how it feels to have someone in your life who behaves like Daniel does.

"Yeah, he is," I say. He looks into my eyes.

"Can I come with you?" he asks me. I look into his eyes. What? He walks to see Daniel? Why?

"Why do you want to see him?" I ask him. He looks down at his hands.

"Uhh..I just want to know how they act," he says. I sigh and shake my head.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Bryce. He's hard to deal with. He has moments where he can't control himself," I say. He nods his head.

"I know, but I don't care. I want to see him," he says. I stare at him. He's really passionate about this. I sigh and stand up.

"I guess you can come. I'll go get my dad," I say. I turn away from him, and walk into my house.

I don't get it. Why does Bryce want to see Daniel? I don't want him to freak out when Daniel starts acting crazy. It could ruin our relationship. Though, if Bryce really does love me, he shouldn't care how Daniel acts. He will accept him for the way he is.

I walk into the kitchen and see my mom and dad sitting at the kitchen table. I smile at them both.

"Dad, are you ready to go see Uncle Daniel?" I ask him. He nods his head, and finishes drinking his cup of coffee. He stands up and kisses my mom on the cheek.

"Bye honey," he says to my mom. He walks over to me and smiles.

"Bryce is coming with us," I say. He looks down at me.

"Why?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know. He wants to know how he acts. I told him it wasn't a very good idea, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He's really passionate about seeing someone like Uncle Daniel," I say. He smiles and we walk to the front door.

"Well, this will be interesting," he says. We open the door, and we walk outside. We walk over to our truck. Bryce walks over to us.

"Thank you for letting me come with you, Mr. Baker," he says. I smile at Bryce. He's so polite.

"It's my pleasure, Bryce. Now, my brother can act a little abnormal sometimes," my dad says. Bryce nods his head and looks at me.

"I understand, but I have to come. It's really important," he says. I stare at him again. Why is it so important? Bryce isn't telling me something, and it's killing me to know what he's thinking about.

BRYCE'S POV

We arrive at the facility where Juli's uncle Daniel lives. It's a nice building. It has a garden in the front. I see a few patients working in the garden. Why are they working? Shouldn't they be resting or something? Her dad looks over at me and smiles.

"The patients work in the garden. It's part of their therapy," he says. I nod my head. We all climb out of his truck, and we walk into the facility. Juli reaches down and holds my hand. I look over at her and squeeze her hand.

"Bryce, this is going to be difficult. Daniel freaks out when he's around strangers, but I'll calm him down. He'll like you though. He likes everybody," Juli's day says. I smile and walk down a hallway. We arrive at a door.

"Daniel! Daniel! We're here, Daniel," her dad says. Suddenly, the door opens and I see a tall man standing in front of me. He has black hair and is wearing glasses. He smiles when he says Juli's dad.

"Richard! You're here! Hi, Richard!" he shouts. He looks at Juli and smiles.

"Julianna! You're here!" he shouts. Then, he looks at me. He stares down at me. He starts to look scared. He looks at Juli's dad.

"Richard, who is that? Richard, who is that?" he asks him. Juli's dad puts his hand on Daniel's shoulders.

"Daniel, calm down. This is Bryce Loski. He's Julianna's boyfriend," he says. Daniel looks at me and smiles.

"Julianna's boyfriend! Awww! Hi Bryce!" he shouts. I smile and look at Juli.

"Hi Daniel," I say. We all walk into his apartment. We walk into his kitchen.

"Richard, did you bring me anything?" Daniel asks Juli's dad.

"I did. I brought you a new puzzle," he says. He hands Daniel the new puzzle. Daniel claps his hand and smiles.

"Yay! I will work on this tonight!" he shouts. I laugh and look at the puzzle. It does look like a fun puzzle.

"Do you want to get a soda or something, Uncle Daniel?" Juli asks him. Daniel shakes his head.

"No, I can't. I want to, but I can't. I have to go to the garden and work," he says. Juli's dad puts his arm on his shoulder.

"Do you want some help?" he asks him. Daniel jumps up and down and nods his head.

"Help! Yes! Help! I need some help with the garden. Julianna, you can help me. Richard told me you are so good at gardening. I need your help," he says. I smile and follow them out of the apartment.

We walk outside and over to the garden. Daniel picks up a few gardening tools and begins to work. I pick up a bush clipper and begin to work. Juli walks over to me.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she asks me. I look at her and shrug my shoulders.

"He's really nice," I say. She stops working and sighs.

"Are you freaked out yet?" she asks me. I shake my head.

"No, I'm not. He's a really special guy," I say.

Suddenly, I hear someone freaking out. I look over at Daniel. He is throwing his tools on the ground and crying. He's screaming at the top of his lungs. I grab Juli's arm.

"What's wrong with him?" I ask her. She shakes her head, and runs over to Daniel.

"He's freaking out!" she shouts. Her dad is trying to calm him down, but Daniel is still screaming. Why is he freaking out? What happened?

Then, I see what happened. Daniel was cutting the bushes, and he messed up. He cut one branch too short.

A few nurses run over to Daniel. They lean down, and try to calm him down. Juli picks up the bush clipper and fixes the bushes. She makes them all equal length. She leans down to Daniel.

"Uncle Daniel! Look at the bushes! See? They're okay! I fixed them. They're alright now," she says. He looks at the bushes. He slowly starts to smile. He stands up, and goes back to work.

I stare at him. This could've been me. I could've acted like this. I was really close to being like Daniel.

I feel tears starting to form in my eyes. Why am I crying? I'm not retarded, but I could've been here. I could've been sent here. I could be living here right now if it wasn't for that doctor.

I drop my bush clipper and run away from the garden. I run toward the road. I hear Juli shout my name, but I don't care. I keep on running. I have to be myself. I have to think about my life and what's really important. Would I still be the same person today if I was retarded? Would I still like basketball? Would my family still love me? Would Juli be my girlfriend?

I stop running, and fall to the ground. I start to cry. I put my head into my hands.

"Bryce!" I hear Juli shout. I feel her hand touch my shoulder.

"Bryce, what's wrong? Why did you run away?" she asks me. I look up at her. I gasp for breath. I wipe the tears off my face. She is staring into my eyes. She looks really concerned.

"Bryce, you can tell me. What's wrong?" she asks me. I look at the ground.

"Juli, when I was born, I had the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck twice. I was losing oxygen. The doctor who delivered me was quick on his feet. He saved me. He was able to save me before…well…before I became a retarded kid. I was almost born retarded. If the doctor didn't save me, I would've been like Daniel. I would be here today if it wasn't for that doctor," I say. She stares into my eyes. She reaches down and holds my hand.

"Oh Bryce, I'm so sorry. What didn't you tell me about this before?" she asks me. I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't like to talk about it," I say. She nods her head and smiles.

"I understand now why you wanted to come here," she says. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I just wanted to see how I would've acted if I was born retarded," I say. She smiles and leans over and hugs me.

"Bryce, you can always tell me anything," she says. I sigh and nod my head.

"I know," I say. She leans down and kisses me on the lips. I close my eyes and smile. I love Juli. She's the best thing that could happen to me.

We pull away from each other.

"Do you want to go home?" she asks me. I nod my head.

"Yeah, if you don't mind," I say. We both stand up and walk back to the garden. Her dad looks at us and smiles.

"Bryce, are you okay?" he asks me. I nod my head and smile.

"I'm better. Thanks," I say. He smiles and looks at Daniel.

"Daniel, we're going home now. I'll see you in a few weeks," he says. Daniel smiles and continues to work on the garden.

"Bye Richard! Bye Julianna! Bye Bryce!" he shouts. He looks like he doesn't even remember what happened ten minutes ago. That's so weird.

We walk back to Juli's dad's truck. We climb in and I sigh. Today has been a busy, but exciting, day. My dad moved out of my house. I went to see Juli's retarded uncle. Lastly, I realized that everything in my life is important, and I will never take them for granted.


	6. Chapter 6

JULI'S POV

Have I ever said how much I like to watch my father paint? It amazes me how focused he can be when he's working on a new painting. Sure, he talks to me, but he's more focused on the colors and techniques. I wish I was as talented as him.

We're sitting in our backyard. He's working on a new painting. It looks like a sky. It's beautiful.

"Julianna, what are you thinking about?" he asks me. I glance up at him and shrug my shoulders.

"It amazes me how focused you are when you paint. It's fascinating," I say. He smiles and nods his head.

"Painting is soothing to me. You'll find something in life that will soothe you," he says. I nod my head. I haven't found that special something yet. Will I ever find it?

"How did you realize painting is your relaxation?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulders and continues to work on the painting.

"I honestly can't remember how it happened. I have always liked to paint. I guess when your uncle Daniel came to live with your mother and me, I needed some time alone. I bought a paint set and started to paint. I realized that for those two hours in the day that I spent on my painting, I was relaxed. I wasn't thinking about Daniel. I wasn't thinking about money. I wasn't thinking about anything. I was only thinking about the painting," he says. I smile at him and look down at my hands. I hope that happens to me someday.

"I hope I find something I feel passionate about," I say. He turns to look at me.

"Juli, you're a very smart person. You'll find out what you want to do when you grow up pretty soon. You have plenty of time to find out," he says. I nod my head and look down at my watch. It's almost noon. I'm meeting Bryce for lunch.

"I have to go. I'm meeting Bryce for lunch," I say. He nods his head and continues to paint.

"Where are you going?" he asks me. I blush and stand up from my bench.

"We're going on a picnic. We'll be at the park," I say. He turns to me and smiles.

"Have fun," he says. I walk over to him and kiss him on the cheek.

"Thanks Dad," I say. I run inside and grab the picnic basket I packed earlier this morning. I say good-bye to my mom and run outside.

BRYCE'S POV

"Bryce, how many brownies do you want for your date with Juli?" my mom asks me. I'm sitting in the living room waiting for Juli. I stand up and walk into the kitchen.

"How many did you bake?" I ask her. She is running around the kitchen, opening the oven and closing it and washing vegetables.

"I baked ten. Is that enough?" she asks me. I raise my eyebrows and nod my head. That's more than enough. We're not going to eat that much!

"I'll only take five," I say. She grabs five brownies and hands them to me. I place them in the picnic basket.

I hear someone knock on the front door. That must be Juli!

"That's Juli! I've got to go! Bye Mom!" I shout. I run out of the kitchen. Lynetta walks downstairs and laughs at me.

"Have fun on your date, Bryce. But not too much fun," she says. She laughs as she walks into the kitchen. I roll my eyes and open the front door. What did she even mean by that?

I see Juli standing in front of me. She is carrying her picnic basket. She's wearing blue peddle pushers and a sweater. She looks beautiful. She looks beautiful in anything, but she looks great today.

"Hey Juli. You're right on schedule," I say. She smiles at me and nods her head.

"Are you ready to go?" she asks me. I nod my head and step outside my house. I close the front door and grab Juli's hand. We begin to walk to the park.

"How are you today?" I ask her.

"Fine," she says. I nod my head and look up at her front yard. Her tree is growing bigger and bigger everyday.

"Your tree is getting bigger," I say. She nods her head and smiles.

"Yeah, it is," she says.

"Maybe someday we can have a picnic under it," I say. She laughs and shrugs her shoulders.

"Right in front of my house where my mom and dad can spy on us? I don't think so," she says. I laugh and nod my head.

"Yeah, you're right," I say.

"But it would be nice," she says. We arrive at the park and we both sit down under a tree. Juli opens her picnic basket and hands me a sandwich. I begin to eat the food she prepared for me. Juli is a really good cook. Though, I don't know if her mom helped her with it or not, but I don't care. It's still really good food.

"Thanks for the food. It's really good," I say. She nods her head and eats quietly. I've noticed that Juli is very quiet today. Why is she so quiet? Is something wrong? Is she sick?

"Juli, what's wrong?" I ask her. She looks up at me and shakes her head.

"Nothing is wrong," I say. I stare at her. She looks confused, but she is trying to hide her feelings.

"Something is wrong. What are you thinking about?" I ask her. She shrugs her shoulders.

"Well, just before I left to meet you, I was outside with my mom. He's painting another landscape. Painting soothes him. It's his passion. I was just thinking about what I feel passionate about, and I can't think of anything. I mean, I feel passionate about my chickens. I like taking care of them, but what am I going to do with my life? What am I going to do at college? What am I going to study? Where will I go to college? I mean, I have to go someplace cheap. My parents can't afford an expensive college. I just don't know what I want to do with my life," she says. I sit and listen to her talk. As she talks, I wonder about my life also. What am I going to do at college? What am I going to study? I have no idea. I want to be important. Maybe I can be a doctor? But I'm not that smart. A lawyer? That could be fun. I can always get my way.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that for a really long time, Juli. We're only in the 8th grade. We have plenty of time to figure everything out. Most people figure out what they want to do with their life in high school. Give it time. Relax and enjoy our date," I say. We nods her head and sighs.

"I guess you're right, but aren't you a little scared about the future?" she asks me. I nod my head. I am a little scared about the future. It seems like life is moving by really fast. Too fast.

"I am. It is scary. Life is moving by too fast," I say. She nods her head. She finishes her sandwich and wipes her hands on her peddle pushers.

"Did you bring dessert?" she asks me. I nod my head and open my picnic basket. I reach down and pull out two brownies. I hand her a brownie and smile.

"My mom made them," I say. She takes the brownie and smiles. She eats it and smiles.

"It's really good," she says. I take a bite out of the brownie and groan. It's really good. My mom did a good job.

"It is good," I say. I notice Juli staring at me. I look at her and laugh.

"What is it?" I ask her. She shakes her head and smiles.

"Nothing. It's just….I'm so thankful to have you in my life," she says. I smile and reach over and place my hand over hers. She smiles and I notice her blush.

"I'm happy you're in my life also. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me," I say. She blushes again and laughs.

"So, umm…..have you heard from your dad?" she asks me. I nod my head. My dad calls me once a day. I only talk to him for about five minutes, but he's doing well. He found a small apartment to live in. He's still working at his job.

"I talk to him everyday. He's doing well," I say. She nods her head.

"Do you still miss him?" she asks me. I nod my head. Our house is different now without my dad. Though, it's still really nice. Chet is taking over as the man of the house. He's kind of like my father now. I know that sounds bad, but it's true.

"Yeah, I still miss him but it's getting better," I say. She stares at me.

"Does he talk to your mom when he calls?" she asks. He talks to my mom for about ten minutes. He sends us some money once a week. My mom is trying to find a job now. I think they still love each other, but like my mom said when my dad moved out of our house, they can't together anymore. It's confusing about love and marriage. I hope that doesn't happen with Juli.

"Yeah, they talk a little bit. I just think it upsets my mom when she talks to him," I say. She nods her head.

"Yeah, I understand," she says. I wipe my hands on my pants. I stand up and help Juli up from the ground.

"Are you ready to leave?" I ask her. She nods her head and smiles.

"Thanks for the lunch date. It was really fun," she says. I smile and lean down to her. I kiss her passionately on the lips. She wraps her hands around my neck. I place my hands on her waist. We pull away from each other. I look into her eyes and smile.

"I love you," I whisper. She smiles up at me.

"I love you too," she says. I kiss her again. I pull away from her and step away. As we walk home, we hold hands.

I love Juli so much and can't imagine my life without her. I know I'm a little young to say this, but I think I want to marry Juli someday. I wish she feels the same way. I can imagine us spending the rest of our lives together. We have already spent our life together as somewhat friends. Now we can spend it together as a couple, and I couldn't be happier about that.


	7. Chapter 7

{A/N: Hey everyone! I am so sorry I have neglected this story a little bit, but here it is again! I decided to jump a little bit into the future in this chapter. Things were going well with Juli and Bryce, so I decided to skip ahead to high school. This is three years later. I hope that's okay with you! Well, I hope you like the chapter. Please review once you're done. I love reading the reviews. Well, bye! Happy reading!}

{3 years later}

BRYCE'S POV

"Bryce! It's time to get up for school!" I hear my mother shout. I open my eyes and squint. What time is it? I glance at my watch and notice that it is very early in the morning. It's too early to be up.

I stand up and walk over to my closet. I open it and grab some clothes. I get changed and run downstairs.

"Morning Mom!" I shout. I walk into the kitchen and see Chet. He smiles up at me.

I'm in the eleventh grade now. I'm in high school! High school has been great. I am on the baseball team with Garrett, but we still aren't friends. We still kind of talk to each other, but he isn't my friend. He will never be my friend again.

Oh, and Lynetta? She's at college. She attends Colorado State University. I don't know why she went there. I think it's because she met a boy there when she was visiting the college and she fell in love with him. They aren't dating, but she wants to date him. She's an English major. I don't understand why she couldn't attend a college closer to home, but she's Lynetta. She wanted to go to someplace different. She wanted to go to a place new and exciting! I think she just wanted to get away from our family and the drama. I don't blame her. I want to get out of here too.

"Bryce, do you have any tests today?" Chet asks me. I grab an apple and eat it.

"Yeah, a math test," I say. He opens his newspaper.

"Did you prepare for it?" he asks. I nod my head. Yes, Chet. I always study for my tests. I'm a good student.

"Don't I always?" I ask. He smiles and reads his paper. Mom walks into the kitchen and kisses my cheek.

"Hello honey," she says. I smile and wave at her.

"Hi Mom," I say. She hands me a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. I sit down at the table and eat the bacon. I don't eat the eggs. I'm still a little freaked out to eat eggs.

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" she asks me. I shake my head. Juli and I were going to go see a movie, but she has a huge science project due Monday. She needs this weekend to work on it.

"Nope, I'm free," I say.

"You aren't doing anything with Juli?" she asks. I shake my head and eat my apple.

"Nope. She has a huge science project to work on," I say. Chet looks at me and smiles.

"She's a smart girl," he says. I nod my head. Yeah, I know Juli is smart. She is working so hard on getting into a good college. Her older brothers are attending a community college. They tried the music thing for a while, but they failed at it after the first year. They still have their band, but they're majoring in business now.

"Well, I was wondering if it was okay if I could invite Peter over for dinner? You two haven't really properly met," she says.

Yeah, Peter is this new guy in my mom's life. She started dating him about two months ago. She's already fallen head over heels in love with him. I don't really care for the guy. He always shows up late for their dates and always brings her back home late. I can tell that Chet doesn't like him either. He always winces when Mom mentions him.

"Whatever you do is fine with me," I say. I stand up and grab my backpack.

"You won't mind?" she asks. I shake my head. I could care less what she does with this man. I'm going to be out of the house in another year or so. If she marries him, I won't have to deal with him that much. Chet will have to, but he can stand up to the man. I can't.

"It's okay. I have to get to school," I say. I lean down and kiss her cheek. I smile at Chet and run outside. I see Juli sitting under her sycamore tree. The tree has really grown a lot. It's big now! I have watched Juli climbing it several times.

I walk over to her and smile. I lean down and kiss her on the cheek.

"Hello," I say. She smiles up at me. She stands up and brushes the dirt and grass off her skirt.

"Hey," she says. I grab her hand and we walk to the bus stop. Our relationship is perfect. We never fight or anything like that. We understand each other. We both love each other and won't do anything to jeopardize this relationship.

We arrive at the bus stop. I see Garrett with his latest girlfriend. He has a girlfriend every two weeks. He can't seem to keep them with him for more than one month.

He looks up at me and smiles. I smile slightly and turn to Juli.

"So, guess what my mom said this morning?" I ask her. She shrugs her shoulders.

"You really are from Mars? I would so believe that," she says. I laugh and shake my head. She makes me laugh all the time.

"No, I'm not from there. I've told you that many times. She's bringing Peter over for dinner this weekend," I say. She gasps and looks up at me.

"Her new boyfriend? Well, isn't this a good thing? He's the first man she's bringing over for dinner since your parents split up," she says. I nod my head and sigh.

"I know, but you know that I don't like him. He's not the right man for her. They've only been dating for two months. He shows up late for their dates and he brings her home late. I mean, what are they doing so late at night?" I ask. She stares up at me and smiles. I shake my head and groan.

"No! They aren't doing that, Juli!" I shout. She laughs and shakes her head.

"I know! I just did that to see how you would react," she says. I roll my eyes and the bus finally arrives. I step onto the bus and hop into our usual seat. Juli sits next to me.

"I really don't like this man. I don't care if they get married, but I don't like him," I say. She stares at me with a concerned look on her face.

"Bryce, can I ask you something and you can answer me truthfully?" she asks. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I'm always honest," I say. She places her hand over mine and looks into my eyes.

"Do you not like him because you're still not over your parents getting a divorce?" she asks me. I laugh and shake my head. I squeeze her hand and smile.

"No, Juli. I understand why they got a divorce. My dad was crummy. They still loved each other. They just couldn't live with each other anymore. Besides, my dad is dating someone else too," I say.

Yeah, that's right. My dad is dating a woman with four children. They have been dating for six months. I only met her three times. I don't go over to my dad's place that much. I only visit him once a month. Our relationship isn't that good anymore.

"Well, do you want me to come to the dinner so it's less awkward for you?" she asks. I would love it if she came, but I know she has to work on her science project. I know she needs good grades so she can go to a good school. I also know she is working really hard to get scholarships.

"No, it's okay. I'll be fine. You have to work on your science project," I say. She smiles and squeezes my hand.

"Oh, Bryce, I can take two hours out of my schedule to eat dinner," she says. I glance at her and smile. She would do this for me? She would come to the dinner for me? I have the best girlfriend in the whole world!

"Oh, Juli, thank you!" I say. I lean over and kiss her on the lips.

"Hey! No kissing on the bus or I'll separate you!" the bus driver yells. We pull away from each other and I blush. It looks like our bus driver woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

We arrive at school. Juli and I walk inside and I walk to my locker. Juli's locker is on the other side of the school. I wish her locker was closer to mine.

"Hey, Bryce, are you taking anyone to the end of the year dance?" a girl asks me. I look up at the girl. She is tall and blonde. She is wearing a purple dress and too much makeup. I smile at her and close my locker.

"Yes," I say. I move past her and walk toward my first hour class, math. Girls flirt with me all the time, but I ignore it. I'm dating Juli and I wouldn't want to date anyone else.

Oh, yeah! The end of the year dance! It's an annual thing at our high school. When you're not a senior, you go a dance instead of the prom. It's pretty fun. I have been taking Juli to it last year. I'm looking forward to it this year.

This school year went by so fast. It's already May. I can't believe it. I have gotten really good grades during high school. Juli helps me with the harder subjects like science and math, but I do okay with it on my own. I get an occasional B here and there, but for the most part, I get all A's. Look at this Harvard kid right here!

I walk into math class and sit down in my seat. Garrett walks in after me. He sees me and smiles.

"Are you staying after for practice?" he asks. I nod my head. I always stay after for practice. I'm part of the team. I have to go to the practices.

"Yeah, are you?" I ask him. He nods his head.

"Yeah. Are you taking Juli to the dance this year?" he asks. I nod my head.

"Yeah, are you taking Amy?" I ask. Amy is his girlfriend by the way. He nods his head.

"Yeah, if we're still dating by then. You know, the dance is still two weeks away and we've already been dating for two weeks. This is usually the time when girls bail on me," he says. I kind of feel bad for Garrett. He really is a nice boy. He just has a bad temper and jumps to conclusions about people. That's what he did with Juli and now he seems to like her.

"I hope you two are still dating by then," I say. The bell rings and Garrett walks over to his desk. Our teacher, Mr. Adams, walks into the class and smiles at us.

"Morning students. Who is ready for this math test?" he asks. A lot of people groan and some people smile. I am one of the people who just don't do anything. I don't get mad about tests but I'm not happy to take them either.

"Well, you'll do fine. You're a smart class. Good luck," he says. He hands us the test and I stare down at it. I begin with the last question of the test. Why? Well, that's just the way I roll.

{A/N: Did you like it? Was it a good idea to jump ahead a few years? Or, did you hate it? Let me know in a review please! Bye!}


	8. Chapter 8

{A/N: Hi guys! Here is the next chapter in the story. I hope you like it. I'm sorry I didn't update quickly like I promised. I got busy with school. I did work on this chapter, but I didn't have time to sit down and write it from start to finish in just one weekend. As you can see, it's a long chapter. Well, I hope you like it. Enjoy! Happy reading!}

BRYCE'S POV

Tonight is the night I have been dreading. Peter is coming over for dinner tonight. I don't like this guy! I don't want him here!

I sit on my bed and stare at my closet. Am I supposed to dress up for this dinner? I don't want to dress up. I don't want to look pleasant for this guy.

I take my shirt off and grab a green, button up shirt from my closet. Mom will be upset if I don't dress up for dinner. She really likes this guy. I don't want Mom to get upset.

I get dressed and look at myself in the mirror. I sigh and run my hands through my hair.

I open my bedroom door and walk downstairs. Mom is running around in the kitchen. Chet is sitting in the living room reading a newspaper. I sit down next to him and sigh.

"Your mother is very nervous," he says. I nod my head and smile.

"She wants everything to be perfect," I say. He nods his head and continues to read.

"Do you like Peter?" I ask him.

"I will like whoever your mother dates," he says. That doesn't really answer the question.

"I know, but do you like him?" I ask. He stops reading and looks at me.

"I don't know him enough to know whether I like him or not. Your mother likes him so he must be a nice man," he says. I shrug my shoulders.

"Yeah, and she liked Dad too, and look what happened," I say. He turns back to reading the newspaper.

"That's your father you're talking about," he says. I sigh and nod my head.

"I know," I say. The doorbell rings and we both stand up. Mom runs into the living room.

"He's early!" she shouts. He's actually early? Wow!

Mom fixes her hair and smoothes down her dress. She smiles and opens the door.

"Hi!" Juli shouts. I smile and walk over to her. Of course it's Juli. Mom sighs and turns away from us.

"Hello Juli," she mutters as she walks back into the kitchen. I laugh and grab Juli's hand. She enters the house and I notice her dress. She is wearing a light pink dress with small flowers all over it. There is a bow tied around her waist. She is beautiful.

"You look beautiful," I say. She smiles up at me and squeezes my hand.

"You look nice too," she says. I smile and we walk into the living room. Chet follows us and sits down in his usual chair. He doesn't pick up his newspaper. He focuses his attention on us. Juli sits down next to me. I grab her hand and hold it.

"So, how are you, Juli?" Chet asks.

"I'm fine, Chet," she says.

"What are you thinking of going to college for?" he asks her. She smiles and fixes her hair.

"I'm thinking of engineering, medicine, law or architecture," she says. Chet smiles and nods his head.

"Those are fine choices. I'm sure you will be great at whatever you do," he says. She smiles and looks at me.

"Thanks, Chet. Bryce is thinking of becoming a psychologist," she says. Juli! I haven't discussed that with him yet. Chet looks at me and smiles.

"Really? You didn't tell me this," he says. I sigh and nod my head.

"I am not positive yet," I say.

"Well, I think that's great. I'm proud of you no matter what you do," he says. I smile and look down at my lap.

"Thank you," I say.

The doorbell rings again. We stand up and Mom hurries to the front door.

"That's him!" she shouts. She smoothes her dress again and opens the door. Peter is standing there with roses in his hand. He smiles and Mom drags him inside.

"Hello!" Mom shouts. Peter smiles and hands her the roses.

"I bought these for you," he says. She takes the flowers and holds them up to her nose.

"Oh, thank you. They smell divine," she says. She turns and walks into the kitchen. We follow her into the kitchen and she places the roses in a vase.

"Well, I hope you're hungry. I made fried chicken, baked potatoes, corn and salad," she says. Oh, that sounds do good! We walk into the dining room and Peter sits down at the table.

"It sounds wonderful, Patsy," he says. I sit down across from him and Juli sits next to me. Peter stares at Juli.

"Who are you?" he asks. Juli reaches her hand out to shake his hand.

"I'm Juli Baker," she says. He shakes her head.

"Why are you here? I thought this was just a family dinner," he says. Mom places a plate of fried chicken on the table.

"Oh, she's Bryce's girlfriend. She's like family," she says. She places a plate of baked potatoes on the table. Then, she places a bowl of corn and salad on the table and sits down next to Peter.

"Oh, I see," he says. I look at Juli and she shrugs her shoulders.

"I still don't understand why she's here," he says. I stare at him and frown. Where is this going?

"Bryce wanted her to be here," Mom says. He picks up a piece of fried chicken and places it on his plate.

"Well, she's not family," he says. He grabs the bowl of corn and dumps a big amount of it on his plate. I stare at him and feel anger pulsing through my body.

"She's like family to us," Mom says. Peter slams his fork down on the table.

"You said this was going to be a nice, pleasant dinner with your family! Then, I come here and she's here! She isn't family! I don't know. I don't want to know her! This is not what you said it would be, Patsy!" he shouts. Juli stands up from the table.

"I'm sorry! I can leave if you want," she says. No, don't leave!

"Juli, you don't have to leave," Mom says. She turns to Peter.

"Then, I'm leaving!" he shouts. He stands up from the table.

"Peter, don't leave! I made a nice dinner for you. I want you to meet Bryce and actually get to know him. My father is here too. I want you to get to know him too. I want you to know my family!" Mom shouts. Peter sighs and sits down at the table.

"Fine, I'll stay," he says. Mom sits down and looks at me. I frown and grab a piece of friend chicken. The table is silent for a while. Mom looks at me and sighs. Peter looks at me.

"So, Bryce, are you a good student?" he asks. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I get good grades," I say. He nods his head.

"What are you thinking of going to college for?" he asks.

"Psychology," I say. He nods his head. Mom looks at me and frowns.

"You didn't tell me this," she says. I shrug my shoulders.

"I've been thinking about it more lately but it's not a definite decision. I still have one more year left of school before I go to college," I say. She nods her head.

"Well, I think it's great that you want to be a psychologist," she says. Peter snorts and eats his food. I stare at him.

"Why did you snort?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulders.

"Oh, it's nothing. Psychology just seems a little feminine to me," he says. I stare at him. What is that supposed to mean? I have seen plenty of men psychologists!

"It's what I want to do. What do you do for a living?" I ask.

"I'm in advertising," he says. I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, that sounds like a great career," I say sarcastically. He stares at me and drops his fork.

"Hey! I don't need you giving me an attitude!" he shouts. I shake my head.

"You started it!" I shout.

"Well, I don't like the way you talk to me! I might be your future step-father!" he shouts. I snort and shake my head.

"You won't be my step-dad," I say. He stands up and glares down at me.

"Oh, really? Why not?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders.

"You're a jerk. You're just like my father. My mom won't make the same mistake twice," I say. Mom puts her hand on my shoulder.

"Bryce, please stop," she says. I shake my head.

"He started it! I was in a good mood until he came here! I was nice to him at first. Then, he started complaining about how Juli was here. Then, he started making fun of my career choices. He started it! This isn't my fault!" I shout. Juli puts her hand on mine.

"Bryce, stop it," she whispers. Peter walks over to me.

"Do you want to fight?" he asks. I stare up at him. Is he really asking me this?

"What?" I ask.

"I'm sorry. Was I speaking too fast for you? Do you want to fight?" he asks. I'm not fighting this guy.

"No," I say.

"Oh, then you're a loser," he says. I stand up from the table and stare at him.

"I am not a loser," I say. Mom stands up and walks over to Peter.

"Peter, I think you should calm down and sit back down. You're not fighting my son," she says. He pushes Mom away from him.

"Don't tell me what to do!" he shouts. I move toward him.

"Hey! Don't push my mom!" I shout. He laughs and pushes me away from him. I fall down on the ground behind Juli's chair. Juli gasps and helps me stand up. Peter snorts and laughs.

"You're such a baby," he says. I glare at him.

"I'm not a baby," I say. Peter shakes his head.

"Whatever. I think I'm done here. Thank you for the meal, Patsy," he says. Mom walks over to him.

"I wish you could stay longer. You didn't eat that much," she says. He sighs and steps away from her.

"I'm done. I'll see you this weekend," he says. He turns away from us and walks out of the room. The room is silent as we hear the front door open and slam shut. Mom looks at me and sighs.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I say. She shakes her head and sits down at the table.

"It's not your fault. He must have had something to drink early," she says. He drinks? Why is she dating him? He doesn't seem like a good man. He doesn't seem like he's her type. She should be dating someone better than him.

"I guess dinner is over," Chet says. Mom nods her head and grabs her plate and walks into the kitchen. I stand up and grab my plate and Juli's plate. I walk into the kitchen and see Mom standing at the kitchen sink. She is washing her plate. I notice that tears are falling down her face. I walk over to her and place the plates into the sink. I put my hand on her shoulder. She looks up at me and wipes the tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," I say. She shakes her head.

"I'm sorry for the way he talked to you," she says. I shake my head.

"It's okay. I just don't understand why you're still dating him," I say. She shrugs her shoulders.

"I won't be dating him anymore," she says. I stare at her. She's going to break up with him? Thank goodness!

"Really? You're going to break up with him?" I ask. She nods her head.

"First thing tomorrow. No one talks to my son that way and gets away with it," she says with a smile. I smile and hug her.

"Good," I say. She squeezes my shoulder and laughs.

"How did you get so lucky with finding true love?" she asks. I laugh and shrug my shoulder.

"I don't know. I guess because Juli and I didn't start out as friends. We grew into our relationship," I say. She nods her head.

"Yeah, I guess that's how your father and I were when we first got married," she says. I smile and pat her shoulder.

"Are you going to be okay?" I ask. She nods her head and smiles.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine," she says. I nod my head and smile.

"Good, now can I walk Juli home?" I ask. She smiles and begins to wash the dishes.

"Go ahead," she says. I turn around and walk into the dining room. Juli is talking to Chet. He is laughing and Juli is smiling. Chet really likes Juli. I'm glad he approves of my girlfriend.

"Juli, are you ready to go home?" I ask. She nods and stands up. She smiles and shakes Chet's hand.

"It was nice talking to you, Chet. I will see you soon," she says. She turns to me and smiles. I grab her hand and we toward the front door. I open it and she steps outside. We walk toward her house.

"That was some dinner," she says. I nod my head and sigh.

"Yeah, that was something," I say. She squeezes my hand.

"Are you okay?" she asks. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I talked to my mom in the kitchen after he left. She's breaking up with him tomorrow," I say. She gasps and looks at me.

"Really?" she asks. I nod my head. I am so glad she's breaking up with him. He was awful.

"Yeah, I'm glad though. He wasn't nice," I say. She nods her head.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to start yelling at him," she says. I turn toward her.

"What? He started it," I say. She nods her head.

"I know that, but he was your mom's boyfriend. You didn't really have to talk to him that way," she says. I can't believe she is saying this. She's not on my side? Juli is always on my side.

"What? He was in a bad mood from the beginning of the dinner! He was mad that you were there. Then, he said psychology is a feminine career. He also wanted to fight me. He pushed my mom! I had to stand up for my mom. I had to protect her. She didn't deserve that guy. He was a jerk," I say. She sighs and nods her head. We arrive at her front door. We stop walking and turn to face each other.

"I know, Bryce, but I thought you promised me last year you wouldn't start overreacting and getting mad when people push your buttons," she says. I stare at her. I did promise her that. Last year, Garrett got in my face again about Juli. He didn't understand why I was still dating her. He said some rude comments about her and I got in a fight with him. I ended up with a black eye and Garrett ended up with a fractured wrist. I promised Juli I wouldn't fight anyone anymore. I promised I wouldn't get upset and pick a fight with someone. I guess I broke my promise tonight.

"I'm sorry I broke my promise, but he was a jerk," I say. She nods her head.

"Yeah, I know," she says. I stare down at her. She glances up at me. I can feel the distance between us.

"I didn't want to start a fight with you," I whisper. She nods her head.

"I didn't either," she says.

"So, what now?" I ask. She stares at me and shrugs her shoulders.

"I guess we just can forget about what happened tonight with Peter and move on. I mean, it wasn't your fault. It was his fault. He was a jerk. You were protecting your mom and yourself, which was the right thing to do. I just didn't like seeing you become so frustrated and upset. It made me think of….well…" she says. What? It made her think of what?

"What? What did it make you think of?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders.

"It made me think of your dad," she says. I stare down at her. She is comparing me to my dad! What? I am not like my dad. I am nice, caring and polite.

"I'm not like my dad," I say.

"You were tonight," she says. I shake my head and run my hands through my hair. I can't believe she is saying this.

"I don't know what to say. How can you possibly think I'm like my dad? I'm nice. I care about you. I protect you. I am polite to your parents and I don't judge people," I say. She raises her eyebrow.

"You judged Peter," she says. What? I think I had a reason to judge him. I knew he was trouble the minute Mom first started dating him.

"Well, I knew he was bad. I knew he wasn't right for my mom, and I was correct," I say. She shakes her head.

"We're fighting," she mutters. I stare down at the ground.

"I know," I say. She looks up at me.

"Well, we never fight. This is new for us," she says. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I know," I say. She walks toward her front door and begins to open it.

"What are we going to do?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't know," she says. She looks at me and I reach out toward her.

"I don't want to fight," I say. She steps away from me.

"Bryce, no. I'm not ready to make up and forget," she says. I stare at her. What is happening? Are we breaking up?

"Are we breaking up?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"No, I don't want that to happen," she says. I sigh and step away from her.

"Then, what is going on?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't know, Bryce! I don't know! Stop trying to resolve things right now. Clearly, we are fighting and we need some time to think," she says. I shake my head. I hate that this is happening.

"So, we are breaking up," I say. She stares up at me.

"I guess so," she says. I look down at her and sigh. I can't believe this is happening.

"Fine. We're breaking up," I say. She looks up at me and I see tears forming in her eyes.

"Okay, fine! We're not together anymore. Good-bye, Bryce," she says. She opens the door to her house and runs inside. I stare down at the ground and feel tears forming in my eyes. No! Don't cry! Guys aren't supposed to cry!

I turn away from Juli's house and walk home. I walk into my house and see Chet sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. He glances up at me.

"Did you get Juli home okay?" he asks. I nod my head and lean against the front door. Chet looks up at me. He notices the pain on my face.

"Bryce, what's wrong?" he asks. I shake my head and finally let the tears fall down my eyes.

"Bryce, what's wrong?" Mom asks as she walks into the living room. She stares at me with concern. Chet stands up and walks over to me. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"What happened?" he asks. I step away from him and walk upstairs.

"I don't want to talk about it," I say. I walk into my bedroom and close the door. I lock it and walk over to my desk. I pull out a notebook and open it. This is my journal of my relationship with Juli. I have written everything that has happened between us since the moment we started dating. Who knows. I might turn it into a book later on in my life.

I open it to the next page in the journal and write down the date. I sigh and write a quick note.

_We broke up. I'm single. I guess this is the end of this relationship book. Good-bye. _

I close the journal and sigh.

Tonight vacuumed.

{A/N: Do you get the vacuumed part? Vacuums suck things up, right? One of my best friends, Darian, says that instead of sucks. I thought that would be nice to add during this chapter. Well, did you like it? It was sad, wasn't it? I almost cried when they broke up. That was really hard to write, but I kind of wanted them to break up. I wanted to add some drama to the story. I hope you liked it and don't hate me for it. Plus, will Bryce tell Chet and his mom that he broke up with Juli? How do you think Chet will take the news? What about the end of the year dance? What will happen there? Will Bryce and Juli go alone? Will they go with other dates? That will be in the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review. I will update most likely two weekends from now because I am going to a college open house next Saturday. Well, bye guys!}


	9. Chapter 9

JULI'S POV

I run inside my house and slam the front door. I put my hand over my mouth to control my sobs. I let the tears run down my face.

"Juli, is that you?" my mom asks from the kitchen.

I don't say anything. I run into my bedroom and slam the door. I sit on my bed and cry into my pillows. The door opens and I see my mom standing in front of me.

"Juli, what's wrong?" she asks. I cry louder and shake my head.

"It's over," I say. She sits down on my bed. She looks at me with concern.

"What's over? What happened?" she asks. I look up at her.

"Bryce and I broke up," I say. She gasps and scoots over to hug me.

"Honey, what happened? Why did you two break up?" she asks. I cry into her shoulder.

"I got mad at him for the way he acted tonight. He got mad at his mom's boyfriend. He raised his temper and he promised he wouldn't do that. So, I got mad at him. We started to fight and I hate it when we fight. We finally decided to break up and take some time to think," I say. She hugs me again and strokes my hair.

"Are you okay?" she asks. I shrug my shoulders.

"I wish I knew," I say. She pulls away from me.

"Well, things will work out. You two are meant for each other," she says. I smile slightly and lay down on my bed.

"Can I sleep now?" I ask.

"Yes, sweetie. You may sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," she says. She kisses me on my cheek and walks out of my bedroom and closes the door behind her. I close my eyes and listen to the wind outside my house. I hear my parents talking.

"They broke up," my mom says.

"What?" my dad asks.

"I know. It's surprising," she says.

"Well, what happened?" he asks.

"They had a fight and decided to take some time off to think," she says.

"Did he break up with her?" he asks angrily.

"I don't know. She just said that they both decided to break up," she says.

"Good. If he did break up with her, I would have a word with him," he says.

"Control your temper. This is a hard time for both of them," she says. Then, I hear them walk into their bedroom and close the door. I sigh and look out my window. I see the moon shining in the sky. I close my eyes and finally manage to get some sleep.

BRYCE'S POV

I wake up on Monday morning feeling depressed and weird. I don't want to go to school today. I don't want to see Juli. I don't want people asking me what happened between us.

Chet opens my bedroom door and looks at me.

"Time to get up for school, Bryce," he says. I shake my bed.

"I don't feel well. Can I stay home?" I ask. He shakes his head and sits on the edge of my bed.

"You barely got out of bed yesterday. You need to get up. Now, what happened?" he asks. I shake my head.

"I don't want to talk about it," I say.

"Well, I do want to talk about it. Listen, when you're hurting, I feel like it's always a good thing to talk to someone about it," he says. I shake my head.

"I don't want to talk about it," I say. He sighs and stands up from my bed.

"Did something happen between you and Juli?" he asks. I shake my head. I don't want him knowing that we broke up. He would murder me.

"No, nothing happened. I'll go to school. Can you please leave me alone?" I ask. He looks down at me and sighs.

"Yes, Bryce. I'll leave you alone," he says. He walks out of my bedroom. I sigh and sit up in my bed. I walk over to my closet and get dressed. I grab my backpack and walk downstairs. I walk into the kitchen and grab an orange from the fruit bowl. Mom turns and looks at me.

"Hello, Bryce. How are you?" she asks. I eat my orange and shrug my shoulders.

"I'm okay. I'll see you after school. Bye," I say. I turn around and run out of my house. I stop in my footsteps when I hear someone crying. I look straight ahead and see Juli sitting underneath her sycamore tree. She is staring at it and crying. I stare at her and feel the impulse to run over and kiss her. I want to make things better. I want to apologize and get back together, but something tells me that we need more time.

I walk to the bus stop. I wait for it to arrive. Garrett walks over to me and punches my shoulder.

"Hey, buddy, how is it going? Where's Juli?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders.

"I think she's walking to school today," I say. He stares at me.

"Why?" he asks.

"She wants exercise," I say. He nods his head and smiles.

"Are you coming to practice?" he asks. I nod my head.

"Yeah, I'll be there," I say.

"So, have you bought your tickets for the dance yet? I'm taking Amy. I already bought the tickets," he says. I stare straight ahead and don't reply. I don't want to think about the dance. I already bought the tickets for it. I bought Juli's ticket, but was waiting to give it to her today. Well, I guess I won't be going with her. Garrett looks at me with concern.

"Hey, are you okay? You're really quiet," he says. I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't feel very well," I say. He nods his head and the bus arrives. I step into the bus and sit down in my usual seat. I stare at the emptiness next to me. This is where Juli is supposed to be. The door begins to close when I hear Juli shouting.

"Wait! Don't leave! I'm coming!" she shouts. The door opens again and Juli steps into the bus. She smiles at the bus driver and looks down at me. She looks at the seat and doesn't move. The bus driver turns around to look at her.

"Can you please sit down? We need to get going," she says. I stare at Juli and pat the seat next to me.

"Come on, Juli. Sit down," I say. She stares at me and slowly sits down next to me. I stare out the window and she looks down into her hands. I want to talk to her. I want to kiss her and say I'm sorry. I want to fix everything. I want to put my arm around her shoulder and smile like I used to. I grab my wallet and pull out her ticket. I hand it to her.

"Hey, I bought this for you last week. It's a ticket to the dance. I know we aren't going to go together anymore, but you can still go," I say. She stares at the ticket and looks up into my eyes.

"I'll pay you," she says. I shake my head.

"No, you don't need to do that. Just take it," I say. She takes the ticket and places it into her backpack.

"Thanks," she whispers. I nod my head and look out the window.

"Did you tell Chet that we broke up?" she asks. I shake my head.

"I can't tell him. He would murder me," I say. She smiles slightly and nods her head.

"That's true. I told my parents," she says.

"How did they take it?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders.

"They're concerned," she says. I nod my head and look out the window. I notice Juli is staring at me. I look over at her and she looks away. The bus arrives at our school. We stand up and walk off the bus. We walk into school and I walk to my locker. I open it and throw my backpack into it. I grab my math book and walk toward the classroom. I see Juli standing at her locker. She is slowly taking the photographs of us she has hanging up in her locker down and placing them in her backpack. The girl who has the locker next to hers gasps.

"You broke up with Bryce?" she asks. Juli glances up at me and sighs.

"Yes, we did," she says. She finishes taking the photographs down and stares at her empty locker door now. The girl stares at it and sighs.

"I kind of like it better that way," she says. Juli looks at the girl and looks at me. She shakes her head.

"I don't," she says. She closes her locker and walks to her first hour class. I stare at her and walk into my classroom and get ready for the day.


	10. Chapter 10

JULI'S POV

It is the night of the End of the Year dance. I am getting dressed in my fancy dress. It is a plain pink dress that flows down to my knees. I run my hands through my hair and sigh. I don't want to go to this dance. I don't want to go without Bryce. I open my bedroom door and walk into the living room. I wave good-bye to Mom and Dad and step outside. I see Bryce stepping outside his house. He runs over to me and grabs my hand. I yank my arm away from him. He can't hold my hand. We are not together anymore.

"Juli, stop it. I need you to come into my house," he says. I stare at him and frown. Why?

"Why do I have to go to your house?" I ask.

"Chet still thinks we're dating. He thinks I'm taking you to the dance and he wants to take a picture of us," he says. I stare at him. He hasn't told him that we broke up?

"Why haven't you told him that we broke up? You have to tell him!" I shout. He shakes his head.

"I can't," I say. I shake my head and walk toward him house.

"Fine! I will!" I shout. I can't believe Bryce is so scared about telling his grandfather about us. I know Chet loves me and wants us to be together, but we aren't. Bryce should be a man and tell him the truth. I open the front door and step inside. Bryce follows me. Chet turns around and sees me. He smiles at me.

"Hello, Juli. You look beautiful. Doesn't she look beautiful, Bryce?" he asks. I turn to look at Bryce. He smiles and nods his head.

"Yeah, you look beautiful," he tells me. I feel myself blush. No! Don't blush! He is not your boyfriend anymore! Chet runs over to the fireplace mantle. He grabs a camera and turns toward us.

"Let me take a picture of you two," he says. I shake my head.

"Chet, I need to tell you something," I say. He shakes his head.

"Let me take a picture," he says. I shake my head again.

"Chet, please," I say.

"Bryce, put your arm around her waist and scoot towards each other," he says. Bryce looks down at me. He reaches around my body and places his hand on my waist. I stare at Chet. I need to tell him the truth. He needs to know the truth.

"Chet, I need to tell you something and it's really important," I say. He raises the camera and points it towards us.

"No, let me take the picture of you two. You look so cute together," he says. I roll my eyes and groan.

"Bryce and I are no longer together, Chet!" I shout. He slowly lowers the camera and stares at us.

"What?" he asks. I nod my head and walk over to him.

"I'm sorry, Chet, but we decided to break up," I say. He looks over at me and frowns.

"When did this happen?" he asks. I look at Bryce.

"About two weeks ago. It was the night she came over for dinner to meet my mom's boyfriend," he says. Chet stares at him and shakes his head.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks. Bryce shrugs his shoulders.

"I thought you would murder me because you love Juli," he says. Chet looks down at me.

"I do love her, but I just don't understand how this happened. Why did you break up? Who broke up with whom?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders.

"We had a fight and we both decided to break up. It was mutual," I say. He shakes his head.

"I can't believe this. You two have been dating for like four years. This is so sudden," he says. I look over at Bryce. He stares at me with pain.

"Yeah, it was sudden. It was our first major fight," I say. Chet shakes his head.

"You didn't have to break up. When you are married, you have fights. You just don't break up over one fight," he says. I shrug my shoulders.

"Chet, we need this time to think things over," I say. He nods his head.

"So, you two aren't going to the dance together?" he asks. We both shake our heads. He walks away from us. He walks into the living room and sits down on the couch.

"Well, have a good time. Bye, Juli. I guess I won't be seeing you around the house anymore," he says. I look at Bryce and sigh. I walk to the front door and open it.

"Bye, Bryce," I say. I step outside his house and close the door. I feel tears forming in my eyes. I brush them away quickly. I am not going to cry. Not again. I promised not to cry over Bryce anymore. I must move on. I have to move on. Please, let me find a way to move on.

BRYCE'S POV

I stare at Chet. I feel awful. I watch as he picks up a newspaper and begins to read it. He is going back to the way he was before he started helping Juli with her front yard four years ago. I don't like this. I walk over to him.

"Chet, I'm sorry," I say. He continues to read the newspaper.

"Don't tell me that, Bryce. Tell Juli that," he says. I stare at him. What?

"What are you talking about?" I ask. He looks over at me.

"Tell her you're sorry. Once you do that, you will work everything out and get back together. Tell her how you feel," he says.

"How am I supposed to do that when I don't even know how I feel?" I ask. He smiles and stares at me. He folds the newspaper and places it in his lap.

"Bryce, you will know. Once you know how you feel, tell her. Tell her how you feel. If you want to spend the rest of your life with Juli, you need to do everything you can to make sure that happens," he says. I don't know if I'm meant to be with Juli.

"How do I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her?" I ask. He smiles and pats my shoulders.

"Just imagine your life without her. Imagine spending the rest of your life like how it is right now. Okay? If you can't imagine your life without her, then you know you're meant to be with her. Come on, Bryce, you will know. Go get Juli back," he says. I stand up and smile.

"Thanks, Chet," I say. He smiles up at me. I walk toward the front door and step outside. I sniff the fresh air and smile. I am going to get Juli back as my girlfriend tonight. It is going to be perfect.


	11. Chapter 11

{A/N: Hello, everyone! I am so sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time! I was so busy with school, but it is summer now. I have a lot more time to write. I decided to get back to this story because I really missed writing it. I really hope you like this chapter. I had a blast writing it! Happy reading!}

BRYCE'S POV

I arrive at school feeling determined. I am going to win back Juli tonight, no matter what. I walk into the gymnasium and see how wonderfully decorated it is. Balloons are hanging down from the ceiling. There are two tables that are filled with food. The school's band is standing nearby playing music. There is a small dance floor set up on the gym floor. I smile and look around the gym for some familiar faces.

"Bryce, my man! How's it going?" Garrett shouts at me. I turn and look at him. I smile and walk over to him. His arms around his girlfriend, Amy.

"Hi, Garrett," I say. His smile disappears a little bit. He stares at me with concern.

"What's wrong? Where's Juli?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders and look around the gym. I don't see her. Is she still coming?

"We broke up," I say softly. He looks up at me and frowns.

"What?" he asks. I step closer to him so he can hear.

"Juli and I broke up," I say. He gasps and drops his arms around Amy. He walks toward me.

"What happened?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders and both turn to the refreshments table.

"It happened the night my mom had her boyfriend over for dinner. We had a huge fight and we decided to break up," I say. He looks up at me and shakes his head. I grab a cup and pour some punch into it.

"Was it a mutual breakup?" he asks. I nod my head and take a sip of the punch.

"Yeah, we both decided we needed some time apart," I say. He shakes his head and sighs.

"Oh, man, I am so sorry. You two are perfect for each other. Well, that's what I used to think. Are you going to get her back somehow? I mean, you don't want to be apart from her, right? I mean, you don't want to spend another day without her. She's a great person. I know I used to make fun of her and everything, but I was actually really jealous of your relationship. I could never keep a girl for more than two weeks. I mean, I'm sure Amy is going to break up with me soon. It always happens, but it never happened with you. You were so lucky with Juli. You two were the perfect couple. I was sure you two were going to get married someday. You have to get her back. You have to do it somehow. You can't let another guy sweep her away from her. Do you want that to happen? You have to get her back!" he shouts. I turn to look at him.

"Garrett, for once in your life, can you just shut up?" I ask. He stares at me with shock.

"I'm sorry. I know you're in a bad mood and everything about the break up. You have to get her back though! It has to happen tonight!" he shouts. I look at him and smile.

"Garrett, I am already one step ahead of you. I'm going to win her back tonight. I've already discussed it with my grandpa. He told me I'm meant to be with her. I'm going to get her back tonight. I don't know how, but it's going to happen," I say.

At that very instant, I see Juli walk into the gym with her friends. I smile when I see her. She sure looks beautiful. She sees me and frowns. I wave at her, but she doesn't wave back.

"Umm…Bryce, are you sure you're going to get her back?" Garrett asks quietly. I turn and look at him. I nod my head.

"Yes, Garrett. I am going to get her back if it's the last thing I do," I say. I turn around and walk toward Juli. Oh, I really hope this works. I need Juli to be my girlfriend. I need it more than anything in the world. Please, let this work!

JULI'S POV

I walk into the gymnasium with my friends. I glance around the gym. The dance looks really nice. Balloons are hanging down from the ceiling. People are dancing. This is going to be really fun. Well, it would be more fun if I was here with Bryce, but it's fine. I am here with my friends. I don't need him around to have a good time.

At that very moment, I see Bryce. He is standing next to Garrett at the refreshments table. I frown when I see him. He is so cute. I can't believe we're not together. Every time I think about what happened between us, it makes me mad. Why did we have to break up? Why were we that stupid? We ruined everything!

Bryce raises his hand and waves at me. He smiles and my heart pounds quickly. I don't wave back because I don't think I can do it. I can't be around Bryce because it makes me want to cry. I mean, I dated him for about four years. He used to be the whole world to me.

I look up and see him walking toward me. Oh, no! He's going to talk to me! What should I say? What do I do? Ugh! Why does he have to ruin everything?

"Hi, Juli," he says. I look at him and frown.

"Hi, Bryce," I say. He looks at me and smiles.

"You look really pretty," he says.

"You already said that when I was at your house," I say. He frowns and nods his head.

"I'm saying it again," he says. My friend, Samantha, walks up to us. She frowns at Bryce and glares.

"Why are you here?" she asks. Bryce looks at her and smiles.

"I'm just talking to Juli," he says. Samantha rolls her eyes and grabs my arm.

"Well, she doesn't want to talk to you. Come on, Juli. Let's go dance," she says. She starts to lead me to the dance floor. I turn around and look at Bryce.

"Sorry, Bryce!" I shout. He looks at me and nods his head. He looks so sad. I hate to see him sad and upset. It makes me feel guilty.

I dance with my friends for a little while. It's pretty fun, but then a slow song comes on. This is when all of the girls dance with the guys. They dance with their dates. I don't have a date. I walk over to the refreshments table. I grab a cookie and eat it. Someone taps my shoulder. I turn around and see Billy Hall. He is a cute junior. He smiles and holds out his hand.

"Would you like to dance with me?" he asks. I smile and nod my head.

"Sure, Billy. I'd love to dance with you," I say. I grab his hand and we walk to the dance floor. He puts his arms around my waist, and I put my arms around his neck. We sway to the music.

"So, why aren't you here with Bryce?" he asks. Billy is on the baseball team with Bryce. They're not technically friends, but they do know each other. I shrug my shoulders.

"Bryce and I aren't together anymore," I say. Billy gasps and looks at me.

"Really? You broke up? When did this happen? I usually am the first one to hear gossip and news like this at our school," he says. I laugh and shrug my shoulders.

"We haven't really told that many people. We broke up two weeks ago," I say.

"Why? What happened between you guys?" he asks. I sigh and look away. I see Bryce sitting down on the bleachers. He is staring off in the distance. He is all by himself. I look around for Garrett. I see him dancing with his girlfriend, Amy. I feel really bad for Bryce. He's sitting there alone while I'm dancing with Billy Hall.

"Juli? Did you hear me?" he asks. I snap out of my thoughts and look at him.

"Oh, sorry! We..uhh…we had a fight. We both decided to break up to think things over," I say. He nods his head.

"I see. That's a shame though. If I was Bryce, I would never let you out of my sight," he says. He presses me a little closer to him. I gulp and look up into his eyes.

"Umm…what?" I ask. He smiles and places his hand on my cheek.

"You're very pretty, Juli. If you were my girlfriend, I would treat you right," he says. I gulp and push him away a little bit.

"Bryce did treat me right. He was a perfect boyfriend," I say. He looks at me and sighs.

"He broke up with you though after four years or so. I mean, who really does that?" he asks. I shake my head. He's got it all wrong. We both decided to break up. It was a mutual decision. Well, it was, right? Right?

"We both decided to break up. He..uhh….he didn't want to fight. He..uh..he didn't want to break up with me," I say.

As I am talking, I remember the night of our break up. I remember it all now. He didn't want to fight. He kept telling me that. I remember it all now!

"_I didn't want to start a fight with you," Bryce said. _

"_I didn't either," I said. _

"_So, what now?" he asked. _

"_I guess we just can forget about what happened tonight with Peter and move on. I mean, it wasn't your fault. It was his fault. He was a jerk. You were protecting your mom and yourself, which was the right thing to do. I just didn't like seeing you become so frustrated and upset. It made me think of….well…" I said. _

"_What? What did it make you think of?" he asked. _

"_It made me think of your dad," I said. _

"_I'm not like my dad," he said. _

"_You were tonight," I said. He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. _

"_I don't know what to say. How can you possibly think I'm like my dad? I'm nice. I care about you. I protect you. I am polite to your parents and I don't judge people," he said. _

"_You judged Peter," I said. _

"_Well, I knew he was bad. I knew he wasn't right for my mom, and I was correct," he said. _

"_We're fighting," I muttered. Bryce stared down at the ground. _

"_I know," he said._

"_Well, we never fight. This is new for us," I said. He nodded his head. _

"_Yeah, I know," he said. I walked toward my front door and began to open it. _

"_What are we going to do?" he asked. _

"_I don't know," I said. I turned and looked at me. He reached out to touch me. _

"_I don't want to fight," he said. I stepped away from him. _

"_Bryce, no. I'm not ready to make up and forget," I said. He stared at me. He looked like he was about to cry. _

"_Are we breaking up?" he asked. _

"_No, I don't want that to happen," I said. He sighed and stepped away from me. _

"_Then, what is going on?" he asked. _

"_I don't know, Bryce! I don't know! Stop trying to resolve things right now. Clearly, we are fighting and we need some time to think," I said. _

"_So, we are breaking up," he said. I stared up at him. I slowly nodded my head. _

"_I guess so," I said. He looked down at me and sighed. I saw tears forming in his eyes. _

"_Fine. We're breaking up," he said. I looked up at him and tears formed in my own eyes. _

"_Okay, fine! We're not together anymore. Good-bye, Bryce," I said. I opened the door and ran inside._

"JULI! Are you listening to me?" Billy asked. He snapped his fingers, and I snapped out of my dream. I stared at him and smiled.

"Sorry, Billy. I was thinking about something else. What did you say?" I ask. He smiles and leans forward.

"I said that I like you. I have a huge crush on you. I would love it if you gave me a chance. I would be the perfect boyfriend for you," he says. I look at him and shake my head.

"No, Billy. I'm sorry. I'm not over Bryce yet. I'm not ready to date anyone else. In fact, I don't want to date anyone else but him," I say. I pull away from him and run toward Bryce. I sit down on the bleachers next to him and pull him in for a sweet kiss. I kiss him passionately on the lips.

Bryce pulls away and stares at me.

"Juli, what are you doing?" he asks. I smile and kiss him again.

"Bryce, I am so sorry. I am so sorry about everything! I just thought about what happened between us. It was my fault! I was the one who started the fight. I said you were like your dad. That isn't true at all. You're sweet, adorable and nice. You're perfect. You're nothing like your dad. Please forgive me. You didn't want to break up with me. You didn't want to fight, but I kept fighting with you. I kept going on and on. I should've just kept my mouth shut. I'm so sorry! Please forgive me. Bryce, I love you. I love you so much. You were my first boyfriend. You're the only boy I ever want to date. Please, be my boyfriend again. I love you so much. Please, just say you love me too," I say. I burst into tears and kiss him again on the lips. He pulls away from me and looks into my eyes. He smiles and places his hand on my cheek.

"Juli, I don't know what to say," he says. I smile and kiss his cheek.

"Just say you love me! That's all I need to hear," I say. He looks into my eyes and nods his head.

"Juli, I love you too. I never wanted to break up with you. I never wanted this to happen. Trust me, I love you. I love you so much. You're the only girl I ever want to call my girlfriend. You're the only girl I ever want to be with. I love you. You're sweet, adorable, cute and so smart. You make my day so much better. You're my best friend. I couldn't live without you," he says. I smile and wipe away my tears.

"You really mean that?" I ask. He nods his head and kisses me on the lips.

"Yes, I meant every word. I love you. I want you to be my girlfriend again," he says. I smile and reach out for his hand. I hold his hand and squeeze it.

"I'd be honored to be your girlfriend again," I say. He smiles and kisses me again on the lips. I smile and hug him.

"Thank you," I say.

We hear someone clear their throat. We look up and see a teacher, Mrs. Williams, standing in front of us. She has her hands on her hips and she is glaring at us.

"Excuse me, students. This is a dance. This is not a make-out festival. Keep your hands off each other!" she shouts. She turns around and storms away from us. I smile and look at Juli. She laughs and leans against my shoulder.

"I love you," I say. He smiles and kisses my forehead.

"I love you too," he says.

The rest of the night was wonderful. I'm Bryce's girlfriend again. Everything is perfect again, and I couldn't be happier.

A/N: Did you like it? Bryce and Juli are back together! I couldn't have them separated for that long! I love them together. They're adorable! Well, I will try to update soon. Please review! I love the reviews!

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	12. Chapter 12

JULI'S POV

Summer is finally here! I am so happy! I always love summer. We don't have to go to school. We can't sleep in. We don't have to study for tests. It's perfect. Also, it means Bryce and I have more time to hang out. That's always a good thing.

"Juli? Do you think I should still major in psychology?" Bryce asks me. We are laying in the grass in his front yard. I sigh and look up at the sky.

"You should do what you want," I say.

"What are you majoring in?" he asks. I shrug my shoulders. I've been thinking about that for a long time. I want to be a doctor, but can women really be doctors? I don't think so.

"I wish I could be a doctor, but I don't think women _can _be doctors. Every doctor I've ever been to was a man," I say. He looks into my eyes and shrugs his shoulders.

"Then you can be the first woman doctor," he says.

I shrug my shoulders. Medicine would be great, but maybe it isn't the right thing for me. I don't know what to do.

"I don't know. I still have a year left before I have to figure it out," I say. He nods his head and looks up at the sky.

"Yeah, me too," he says.

I turn my head and look at him. He looks at me and smiles. He leans over and kisses me on the lips. I deepen the kiss. He wraps his arms around my waist. I smile in the kiss. I pull away and look up at him.

"I love you so much," he whispers. I smile and nod my head.

"I love you too." He's my life. When we broke up, I felt like it was the end of the world. It was awful. I hope we never break up again.

"BRYCE!"

We jump away from each other. Bryce stands up and turns around. His mom runs over to him. She grabs him, and she's crying. Oh my gosh! What's wrong?

"Mom, what is it?" he asks.

"It's Chet. He just collapsed. I think it's a heart attack!" she shouts.

I gasp and my heart immediately begins to pound harder. No! Chet can't die. He's practically my grandfather. I love him so much!

"Did you call 911?" I ask. She nods her head.

"They said they would be right here. Oh, Bryce. It looks pretty serious. I'm so scared!" she shouts.

Bryce reaches around and hugs his mom. He looks over at me. His eyes show worry and fear. He loves Chet too. Bryce would be destroyed if he died. Actually, we all would. He's an amazing person.

The rest of the day is a blur. The ambulance arrived. They carried Chet to the truck on a stretcher. He wasn't moving. He was still alive, but it looked serious.

The ambulance drove away. Bryce's mom ran to her car. She shouted for Bryce to follow her. He climbed in and motioned for me to follow.

"You can come, Juli. Chet would want you there," he says.

All I did was stand there. I shook my head. I just stared at them as they drove away. I don't think I could go to the hospital. I hate hospitals. They're bad places. I know they're supposed to be helpful, but they aren't. People die there.

I pray for Chet. Please don't die. He's an amazing person. He doesn't deserve to die yet.

I walk over to my house and open the door. I walk into my bedroom and close the door.

"Juli?" my mom calls. I open my door and walk into the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong? You seem upset about something. Is it Bryce? Did you two break up again?" she asks. I roll my eyes. Why would she think that? We just became a couple again. We wouldn't dream of breaking up again.

"Chet had a heart attack," I say. She gasps and covers her mouth with her hands.

"That's awful. Is Bryce okay?" she asks.

What kind of question is that? Of course he isn't okay! His grandpa just had a heart attack! That's a very bad thing! It's scary! I'm scared for him.

"No, he's not okay. They're at the hospital now. He wanted me to go with him, but I couldn't go. I don't like hospitals," I say.

"Then you shouldn't be a doctor then," she says. She laughs, but I just stare at her. She's probably right. If I don't like hospitals, then I probably wouldn't like working there everyday for the rest of my life. That makes perfect sense.

"You're right. Thanks," I say.

I turn around walk into my bedroom. I lie down on my bed and pray for Chet. He _has _to be okay. Chet is fearless. He can do anything. He can fight for his life too.

BRYCE'S POV

I sit in the waiting room for what seems like hours. I play with my hands. That's a childish thing to do, but I'm scared. When you're scared, you play with your hands. I hope Chet is okay. He has to be okay. He can't die yet. He's too young.

"Mom, Chet's too young to die," I say. She turns and looks at me.

"He's getting up there, Bryce. Your grandma already died. Remember that? He's lived a long time. He's lived a good life," he says.

Why is she talking like that? He isn't going to die! He's going to live because he's my grandpa! He can do anything. He's my fearless Chet. He _has_ to fight for his life.

"Excuse me? Mrs. Loski? We finished running the tests on your father," the nurse says. My mom stands up and walks over to her.

"Is he going to be okay?" she asks. I stand up and follow her. Please tell us he's going to be okay!

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Loski. It's a pretty serious heart attack," she says.

My heart feels like it is falling. It's really serious? Oh my gosh! No! Chet has to be okay! He was alive and well yesterday. He was laughing. Juli had dinner with us last night. He was smiling. He had a wonderful time. I can't believe he is now in a hospital struggling to stay alive.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mom asks the nurse. The nurse shrugs her shoulders and looks at me.

"To be honest, Mrs. Loski, your father might not even make it through the night. So, please, if you want to spend time with him now, you should do it soon," she says.

The nurse walks away from us. I look at Mom. I reach out and touch her shoulder. Tears roll down her cheek. I sigh and hug her. This is hard for all of us.

"Do you want to see him first?" she asks. I pull away from her and shake my head.

"No, you're his daughter. You should see him first. Spend as much time as you want with him," I say. She smiles and wipes the tears away from her face. She sighs and kisses me on the cheek.

"Thank you, Bryce. I love you," she says.

She turns around and walks away. I sigh and sit down in a chair. I wish Juli was here. She would want to say good-bye to Chet. She loves him too. She says he is like a grandfather to her. Chet adored her. She reminds her of Grandma. He loves spending time with her. He loves her. He loves the fact that we're a couple. He always said he wants to go to our wedding. I laughed at that before, but I have a new understanding now. He wanted to live that long. That's what he meant. He wanted to live to see me marry Juli, if that ever happens.

I stand up and walk over to the nurse's desk. A nurse looks up at me and smiles.

"May I help you, sweetheart?" she asks.

"May I use your telephone? I have to call someone. Please, it's important," I say. She nods her head and motions to her telephone. I lean over and dial Juli's number.

"Hello?" her mother answers.

"Oh, hi. It's Bryce. Is Juli there?" I ask.

"Yes, she is. I'll go get her. How is your grandpa doing?" she asks.

"Umm...they say it's serious. It doesn't look like he's going to make it through the night," I say.

She is silent for a few moments. I sigh and look away. This is hard for everybody.

"I'm sorry, Bryce. I'll keep your family in my thoughts and prayers. Juli is here now," she says.

"Bryce? What's wrong? Is Chet okay?" Juli asks worriedly.

"Juli, you should come to the hospital."

"Why?" she asks.

"The nurse said it's really serious. He might not make it through the night. It's really bad!"

Like her mother, she's silent for a few minutes. The nurse looks up at me impatiently. She probably has to make phone calls with this phone.

"Juli, are you going to come?" I ask.

"I'm on my way," she says.

I tell her good-bye and hang up the phone. I sigh and walk back to the waiting room. I sit down and bury my head in my hands. Just a few hours ago, I was lying in the grass with Juli. I was smiling and laughing. I was having a wonderful time. Right now, everything is ruined. This is the worst day ever.

I decide to pray for Chet. Praying is good. God always listens to us. Chet just has to be okay. I love him.

"Dear God, please watch over Chet. He has to live. Please? He's an amazing person. I know he doesn't want to die yet. Please, protect him. Don't make him die. Please. It's all I ask."


	13. Chapter 13

JULI'S POV

I arrive at the hospital. Well, actually, I run inside. I run down the hallway. I have no idea where I'm going. I run into the waiting room. I see Bryce sitting down in a chair. His head is in his hands. His back is shaking. I walk over to him and rest my hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me and tears are in his eyes.

"Oh, Juli!" he shouts.

He stands up and throws his arms around me. I step back a little bit. I'm completely startled. I've never seen Bryce like this. He's so emotional. He usually keeps his calm, but I can understand. Chet is in the hospital. This is emotional for everyone.

"Bryce, it's okay!" I shout.

He pulls away from me and sits down in his chair. He looks up at me. I sit down next to him and hold his hand in mine. He needs my support right now more than anything.

"I'm so glad you're here," he says.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," I say. He looks over at me and smiles. I lean in and kiss him on the lips. He moans, but he pulls away from me. I sit back in my seat and smile to myself.

"Bryce, you and Juli can go in now," his mom says. We stand up and walk over to her. She was crying. Her face is red and she's holding a tissue.

"Are you okay?" he asks her. She smiles and nods her head.

"I said everything I wanted. He wants to see you both now," she says. I look over at Bryce. He smiles and takes my hand. We walk over to Chet's hospital room. I can't believe we have to say good-bye to him. I don't know if I can do that.

Bryce opens the door and holds it open for me. I smile and walk into the room. Chet is lying on the bed. His eyes are closed. His head is laid back, and the machine beats slowly. I simply stare at him. I look over at Bryce. He is fighting back his tears. This is the first time he's seen his grandpa since the heart attack.

I wrap my arm around his shoulder. I squeeze it and smile. We can do this. We _have _to do this. We walk over to the bed. Bryce reaches out and taps on Chet's shoulder. Chet opens his eyes and sees us. With his eyes open, he looks healthier. He looks normal and happy.

"Hi," he says weakly. Bryce brushes away his tears. I smile at Chet.

"Oh, Juli! You're here!" he says excitedly. I laugh and nod my head.

"How are you doing, Chet?" I ask. He shrugs his shoulders.

"I've been better," he says. He starts coughing. I close my eyes and just wait for it to be over.

"Are you okay?" Bryce asks. His voice is shaking, and I just want to hug and kiss him to calm him down.

"Bryce, I have to tell you something," Chet says.

"Yes, Grandpa?"

"I know I'm going to die tonight," he says. I stare at him. I don't know how he can say that without crying. I don't know what I would do if I knew I was going to die in a few hours.

"Don't say that," I say. He shakes his head and raises his hand.

"I'm growing weak. I had a bad heart attack. I'm only getting worst. I can feel it. Let's be truthful here. I'm not a young man anymore," he says with a laugh. I smile at his humor. Even during this difficult time, he's still smiling and laughing.

"Bryce, I love you," he says. I look at Bryce. Tears run down his face. He leans down to get closer to Chet.

"I love you too, Grandpa," he says. Chet smiles and looks up at me.

"Marry Juli someday. Will you?" he asks. Bryce looks up at me and smiles. I blush and look away. Marriage? We've never discussed that topic. It would be wonderful though.

"Yes," Bryce whispers. I smile and look into his eyes. He's going to marry me?

"Juli, you've always been like a granddaughter to me," he says. I smile and lean down closer to Chet. I reach out and grab his hand.

"You were always like a grandpa to me too, Chet," I say. He smiles and touches his heart.

"That hit me right here," he says with a smile. I laugh and squeeze his hand. Please don't die yet, Chet. We still need you around.

"You know what I told you one time, Bryce?" he asks.

"You've told me a lot of things," Bryce replies with a laugh. Chet rolls his eyes and smiles.

"Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss; but every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent, and once you do, nothing will ever compare. That's the relationship with you and Juli. I am so happy you found each other. I will always watch over you," he says.

I look down at my lap. I reach up and brush away the tears that are starting to form. This is hard and so emotional.

"Chet, you're an amazing person," I say. I reach up and hug him. He smiles and pats my back. I kiss his cheek and step away.

"I love you," he whispers. Bryce leans down and hugs him too. They hug for a longer time. I smile at the image. It's perfect.

"I will always love you," Bryce says. He steps away and looks at me. I smile and grab his hand. We turn around and let Chet rest. We walk out of the room and sigh.

"I can't believe that was the last time I'm going to see my grandpa," Bryce whispers. I reach up and kiss him on the lips. We kiss for a longer time now because we both need it.

In a few minutes, a nurse walks into Chet's room. She stays in there for a long time. I sigh and pace around the hallway. Has it already happened? Has he gone home to the Lord?

The nurse finally steps out of the room. She looks at us.

"Mrs. Loski?"

Mrs. Loski stands up and walks over to the nurse.

"Yes?" 


	14. Chapter 14

{A/N: Here is another chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to write, but I was just thinking of new things to add to the story that would interest you. I hope you like this chapter! Happy reading!}

BRYCE'S POV

"Mrs. Loski?" the nurse asked us. I look up at her as she walks over to my mom. My mom stands up and walks over to the nurse.

"Yes?" she asks.

"I just spoke to the doctor about your father's condition," she says. My heart beats loudly. I can almost hear it ringing in my own ear. What the heck is going on? Just tell us if he's dead or not! That's what we want to know!

"What about him?" Mom asks. The nurse smiles and pats her shoulder. Why is she patting her shoulder? What's going on?

"Your father is going to be okay. He suffered an intense heart attack, but it's a miracle. He's a fighter. Your father wants to live to see something. I don't know what it is, but he's going to be okay," she says.

I smile and kiss Mom on the cheek. This is wonderful news! Chet's going to be okay! Everything is going to be okay again. I knew he wouldn't die. He's too strong to die.

"Bryce, that's amazing!" Juli shouts. I smile and pick her up. I spin her around and kiss her cheek. I laugh and look up at the ceiling. Thank you, God. You saved my grandpa. I don't think I will ever forgive you for that.

"Would you like to see him now?" the nurse asks. I look at Mom and she shakes her head.

"No, we'll just let him rest for now. Bryce, it's getting awfully late. We should go home. We'll come back tonight. We need our rest too," she says. I smile and nod my head. She's probably right. Chet needs to rest.

"That's okay, Mom. Can Juli and I walk home?"

She looks at us and checks her watch. She sighs and looks at us.

"I don't know, kids. It's really late," she says. We shrug our shoulders.

"We don't mind," Juli says. She smiles and nods her head.

"I guess it'll be okay. I'll see you two at home," she says. She grabs her purse and walks out of the lobby. I smile and turn to look at Juli.

"I'm so glad Chet is okay," she says. I smile and nod my head. We begin to walk out of the hospital. We walk down the sidewalk. It's nice and cool. That's what I like about summer. It's hot in the day, but nice and cool in the night. I love it.

"I don't know what I would've done if he died," I say. She smiles and places her hand in mine. I squeeze it for comfort.

"I understand. Chet's a great guy. I honestly wouldn't know what to do either. He's a huge person in my life," she says.

"He loves you, you know," I say. I lean over and bump her shoulder. She laughs and bumps mine in return. We both laugh and continue walking.

"What's wrong with that?" she asks. I shrug my shoulders.

"Nothing. He's not the only one though," I say. She stops walking and looks at me. I blush and look down at my feet.

"Bryce, you know I love you too. I always have," she says. She leans up and kisses me on the lips. I smile and put my arms around her.

"I want to marry you someday," I whisper. She smiles, and her eyes glisten with tears. Why is she crying? "Are you okay?"

She nods her head and smiles. She kisses me again and I quickly deepen the kiss. I can do this for hours. That's the truth. She pulls away from me though, which leaves me kind of disappointed.

"I'm okay, Bryce. I just hope we can get married someday," she says. I smile and nod my head.

"We will," I say. She smiles and kisses me on the lips again. She quickly pulls away and grabs my arm. We continue to walk down the street when we arrive at our homes. I smile and turn to face her.

"You're an amazing woman, you know," I say. She smiles and I notice that she is blushing. I reach out and touch her cheek.

"I'm not that great," she says. I shake my head and lean my forehead against hers.

"No, it's the truth, Juli. You always have so much energy. Any guy would be lucky to have you, but I'm glad you picked me," I say. She laughs and looks away.

"There was never any competition. It's always been you," she says. I blush and stare down into her eyes. Oh God, I love this woman. Please, never take her away from me again.

"I love you so much," I whisper. She looks into my eyes and nods her head.

"I love you too," she says. I lean down and kiss her passionately on the lips. I wrap my arms around her body. She touches my cheek. I break away from the kiss and look down at her.

"I should go," I whisper. She nods her head.

"Me too."

"I'll see you tomorrow," I say. She nods her head and begins to walk away. I stare at her as she walks away. "Juli..." I moan out. She turns and looks at me.

"Yeah?"

I reach out and grab her arm. I pull her toward me and kiss her once more. She smiles and looks into my eyes.

"What is it, Bryce?" she asks. I smile and shake my head.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to kiss you again," I say. She laughs and pushes me away with more force that I expected. I laugh and stumble toward my house.

"Bryce! Go to bed!" she shouts. I laugh and skip to my house.

"Only if you say so, my lady!" I shout.

I hear her laughing as she walks over to her front door. She opens it and escapes inside. I sigh and stare at her house. How did I get so lucky to have a girlfriend like Juli? No, not even that. How did I get so lucky to have a girlfriend who is also my best friend? It doesn't make sense sometimes.

I shake my head and open the front door to my house. I step inside and close the door. I see Mom sitting on the couch. She's staring straight ahead. Her expression is blank. I stop smiling and sit down next to her.

"Mom? What is it? Did the hospital call? Is Chet okay?" I ask. She turns and looks at me. Tears form in her eyes. What the heck is going on?

"No, it's not about Chet. It's something about me," she says. I stare at her with fear. What's wrong? Is she okay?

"Well, will you tell me what it is?" I ask. She starts to sob loudly. She buries her head in my chest. I reach out and pat her shoulder. I don't know what to do. I feel like an idiot right now, but I've never see my mom cry. Well, I've seen her cry before, but I've never seen her act like this.

"Mom?"

"I'm pregnant," she says. I gasp and pull away from her. What? WHAT?

"Umm...excuse me?"

She starts crying more and nods her head. I stand up and look down at her. How did this happen?

"May I ask who the father is?" I shout, my voice becoming very loud in the house. She starts crying again.

"It's Peter," she says. I stare at her. Oh, it's Peter? That jerk she dated?! Oh my gosh! Why would she do that? She's always told me to wait until the right person comes along before I have sex. Well, I've found Juli, but I won't have sex with her until we're married. I can't believe she did this!

"You've stopped dating like a month ago, right?" I ask.

She nods her head and looks up at me. She keeps nodding her head.

"I didn't know how to tell you, so I kept it a secret. But, you walked in and I was just thinking about how our lives are going to change. I was really upset, and then you walked in. So, you walked in at the wrong time, Bryce. But, now you know," she says.

"How much longer were you going to hide this from me?" I ask. She looks up at me and shrugs her shoulders.

"I don't know, Bryce. Not very long," she says. I place my hands on my hips and begin to pace around.

"Have you told Peter yet?" I ask. She shakes her head and starts crying again.

"No, I don't know how to tell him!"

"More importantly, Mom, have you told Chet?"

She gasps and shakes her head. She grabs a pillow and buries her head into it. She keeps shaking her head.

"I can't tell him. He'll be so disappointed," she says.

"You have to tell him, Mom," I say. She looks up at me and shakes her head.

"No! I can't!" she shouts. I fold my arms across my chest and stare down at her.

"Well, if you don't tell him, I will. Good-night, _Mother_."

I turn around and run upstairs. I walk into my bedroom and slam the door shut. I jump onto my bed and gaze up at the ceiling. Why the heck is my life so messed up right now? Chet's in the hospital, and now my mom is expecting a child with a jerk.

I walk over to the window and grab my flashlight. Juli said she always looks out her window at mine when she's trying to go to sleep. I turn the flashlight on and flash it three times. I hope she gets the signal.

S.O.S.

A/N: So, what do you think of that? I'm glad Chet is okay. I couldn't kill him off. It'd be like killing off my own grandpa, and I can't do that! Also, what do you think about Bryce's mom? Isn't that awful? Tell me your thoughts in a review please. Also, do you want Chet to be understanding about it, or do you want him to get mad? I'm open to any suggestions. Well, thanks for reading and I'll try to update soon.

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	15. Chapter 15

BRYCE'S POV

Two weeks have passed since my mom broke the news that she's expecting a new baby. Chet is back home with us, thank goodness. I missed him around the house. Mom hasn't told him the news yet. I keep telling her that she has to tell him. She can't hide it forever.

"I know, Bryce. I'm just waiting for the right time to tell him," she always says.

The right time? Come on, Mom. Anytime is the right time now. She can't hide it. She did this, and now she has to accept it.

I step outside my house and walk over to Juli's. She didn't get the message the night I found out the news. I guess she was asleep. I haven't told her. How am I supposed to tell her? Everything is crazy right now.

Juli opens her front door and steps outside. She sees me and smiles. She waves as she walks over to me.

"Hey, Bryce. I was just going to walk over to your place. What's up?" she asks. I stare into her eyes and smile. I should tell her. She would want to know. She can also help me. That's the wonderful thing about Juli.

"I have to tell you something," I say. Her eyes grow worried. She frowns and lines appear on her forehead. Oh gosh...I'm scaring her now.

She grabs my hand and walks over to the sycamore tree. She sits down underneath it and motions for me to sit next to her. I lean down and look into her eyes. She doesn't have to worry. It's not about us.

"Bryce, what's wrong? Umm...what do you have to say? Tell me," she says.

"It's kind of hard to explain," I say. She lets go of my hand and looks away. Why am I doing this? Why am I wording things like I'm going to break up with her? Stop it, Bryce!

"You're...you're breaking up with me?" she asks. I quickly shake my head and grab her hands.

"No, no, no! It's not that. I know I made it sound that way, but it's not. Don't worry about that. I'm sorry. Listen, my mom told me some news two weeks ago, and I haven't told you about it yet. I guess I kind of wanted to keep it to myself for a while. I didn't know how to tell you about it," I say. She looks into my eyes and sighs.

"You're moving in with your dad, aren't you?"

What? Is she crazy? Why in the world would I move in with my dad? He was a jerk. Chet has been more of a father-figure in my life than my own dad!

"You're crazy for even thinking that," I say.

"Then what is it? Oh my gosh! Is it Chet? Is something wrong with Chet?" she asks worriedly. I smile and shake my head.

"No, he's perfectly fine," I say. I look down at the grass and sigh. Maybe I shouldn't tell her yet. It's big news, but it doesn't really affect her. It's my family. She's just my girlfriend.

"Then, what's wrong?" she asks. I sigh and look into her eyes. Just tell her, Bryce. She will make everything better. That's how wonderful Juli Baker is.

"My mom is pregnant."

Her eyes widen as she takes in the news. She looks down at the grass, and then brings her eyes back up to me.

"Really? But...she's not married," she states. I nod my head. Yeah, I know she isn't married. That's why I was mad at her. She wasn't careful.

"Do you remember Peter?" I ask.

"Umm...you mean that jerk your mom dated that caused us to break up? Oh yeah! I remember Peter!"

"Well...he's the father," I say. She looks at me and shakes her head. Every time I say that he's the father of the child, I grow angry. What is going to happen now? Are they going to get back together? Are they going to get married? I don't want Peter to be my step-father. He's a jerk. My mom can do better than that. It's kind she's marrying my father all over again.

"You're kidding, right?" she asks.

"I wish I was."

"So, your mom didn't wait until marriage to have sex with someone? Wow. That's some role model. And, you're expected to wait until marriage to have sex now? How can you do that when your mom doesn't even follow her own rules?" she asks.

I stare at her. Yes, I get her point, but that's not what I'm concerned about right now. I'm concerned about the future. What the heck is Juli talking about? I stare at her and looks into my eyes.

"Juli...what are you talking about? I'm just scared for the future," I say.

"Nothing. Forget I said it. Has she told Peter yet?" she asks. I shrug my shoulders. My mom's a mystery woman right now. I don't know anything that's going on right now.

"I have no idea."

"Has she told Chet?" she asks.

"She said she's waiting for the right time," I say.

"She can't wait. How many months is she pregnant?" she asks.

"Umm...two?"

"She needs to tell him now before she starts showing. Her secret will come out soon, whether she wants it to or not," she says.

I stand up from the tree and nod my head. I know. Mom needs to grow up about this. I know she's scared, but her father deserves to know the truth. He's going to become a grandpa again. That's major news.

"You're right. I'm going to talk to her right now. He needs to know the truth. She can't hide it from him. I'll see you later," I say.

I turn around and walk across the street to my house. I open the front door and see Chet sitting on the couch reading a newspaper. Good. Here's here.

I walk into the kitchen and see my mom baking cookies. Good. She's here too. I walk over to her and tap her shoulder. She turns around and smiles.

"Oh, Bryce! I was wondering where you were at. Were you with Juli? How is she? I baked some cookies. Would you like one?" she asks. I reach across and take a cookie off the hot pan. I eat it and smile. Chocolate chip cookies. Yum...

"Juli's fine. I actually told her your little secret," I say. She stops moving and looks over at me. She nods her head and wipes her hands on a towel. She turns and stares at me.

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. I mean, she's not the one you have to worry about. Mom, you have to tell Chet. He deserves to know the truth. You keep saying you want to wait until the right time to tell him. Mom, the right time is now because you're already two months pregnant. You're going to start showing soon. He deserves to know. So, tell him now," I demand.

She gulps and peeks around the corner at her father sitting on the couch. She sighs and glances over at me.

"I'm afraid he's going to get mad at me," she says.

"He's an adult. You're an adult too. You can be mature about this," I say. She nods her head and sighs. She smiles and looks into my eyes.

"Since when have you become the mature, older one in this house?" she asks. I shrug my shoulders. That's beside the point.

"I don't know. Will you just do it now?" I ask. She sighs and nods her head. She takes off her apron and walks into the living room. I follow her. I'm not missing this.

"Dad? Are you busy?" she asks.

"Just reading the paper."

She sits down on the couch next to him. She looks up at me with panic in her eyes. I walk over to the stairs and sit down on one of them. I motion for her to tell him.

"Dad, I have something to tell you," she says.

"What is it?" he asks, his eyes never leaving the paper.

"Can you put the paper away for just a second?" she asks. He glances over at her and for the first time, he really looks at her. He puts the newspaper down and stares at her.

"Sure."

"Dad, I have something important to tell you. You might not like it, but it's nothing I can control right now. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to accept it because it's reality. Dad, I don't want you to get mad at me. It's not my fault. It just happened. But, I'm really scared to tell you because I think you're going to hate me and I love you. I love you, you know that, right? I guess what I'm trying to say is—" she says.

"That you're pregnant?" he interrupts.

I gasp and stand up from the stairs. How the heck did he know? We didn't tell him. We kept it a secret. Mom stands up and looks down at him.

"You knew?" she asks. He laughs and nods his head.

"Yes, I knew about it. I ran into Peter last night at the grocery store," he says. Wait, wait, wait! She told Peter about it? Why didn't she tell me?

"Mom, you told Peter about it?"

"Yes, I did. I told him last week. I had to tell him. Bryce, we're dating again. If things work out, we're probably going to get married. You knew that. You had to know that," she says.

No! I didn't know it! I knew it was a possibility, but I didn't know it was true. She's dating that jerk again? Why would she do that? She can raise the baby on her own. I'll be here to help. Chet will be here as long as he can. She doesn't need that jerk.

"Mom, why are you dating him? He's a jerk! And why would you marry him? You deserve better than that. It's like you're dating Dad all over again. You don't want to live like that," I say.

"A child deserves to have both parents in his life!" she shouts at me. I step back and look at her.

"What about me? I never see my dad. You divorced him and threw him out of my life," I say.

"It's different when you're older! A young child needs both parents. They need their mother to take care of them, and they need their father to do stuff with them. It's the best thing," she says.

"I don't want him to be my step-dad. He's a jerk. I don't want you to marry him," I say.

"It's not your decision to make, Bryce. I'm the parent, and you're the child," she says.

"Not for very long! I'm turning eighteen in a few months. Then, I'm going to college and you can take care of your stupid little baby with your stupid husband all you want. I won't be here!" I shout. I turn around and run upstairs. I walk into my bedroom and slam the door.

I lie down on my bed and look up at the ceiling. I know it's wrong the way I acted. I know I shouldn't have done it, but she made me so mad. She's dating that guy. She's going to marry him. They're going to be parents together. I just can't wrap my mind around that concept.

The door knocks and I sit up in my bed. The door opens and I see Chet staring at me. I sigh and motion for him to walk in.

"You don't have to say it. I know I was a jerk for saying those things to her, but she made me mad," I say. He sits down next to me on my bed and sighs.

"Your mom is in a tough place right now. Do you think she really wants to marry Peter? No, she doesn't. Do you know why she's going to do it though? Because she knows it's the right thing to do. Your mom is going to become a mother again. She's going to have a new baby and she knows that that child needs a father," he says.

"I understand what you mean, but I don't want him to be my step-father," I say. He leans over and pats my shoulder.

"Think of it this way. You only have one year left at home before you go to college. You will only have to live with him for one year. Who knows when they'll get married? They might wait until the baby is born. So, you won't see him that much," he says. I look up at him and smiles.

"Thanks, Chet," I say. He stands up from the bed and walks over to the door. I stare at him. He's the best grandpa I could ever ask for.

"Hey, Chet?" I call out. He turns around looks at me. "You've been the best father figure in my life."

He smiles and I see a twinkle in his eye. He nods his head and I know he's speechless. He turns around and walks out of the room. I just made him happy. That's all I wanted to do in the first place.


	16. Chapter 16

BRYCE'S POV

School is starting up again today. It's been an eventful summer. What can I say? Having a mom who is pregnant is certainly exciting. She's four months pregnant, so we've still got a while before the baby is born. It's been good. Well, everything has been good besides one thing...Peter.

Yeah, he's back in our life. Can you believe it? He comes over for dinner twice a week, and he's always complaining about something. He says I need to focus this year because it's very important. I can't mess up.

It makes me mad, but Chet just tells me to focus on my mom. The baby needs a father. That's the important thing right now. I don't have to like Peter. I just have to respect him. That's all I can do.

I step outside my house and see Juli standing in her driveway with her backpack around her shoulders. She smiles and waves. I know she's excited. She's been excited all summer long. She's ready for our senior year. She told me countless times. That's why I love her. I can't explain it, but it's true.

I walk across the street and walk over to her. She smiles and I extend my hand to her. She grabs it and walk toward the bus stop. This feels right, doesn't it? It feels right going to school with Juli. It feels right holding her hand. Everything just feels right this year. I know it's going to be a good year. I have a feeling it's going to be amazing.

"How's your mom doing?" she asks as we walk. I shrug my shoulders.

"She seems to be doing well," I say.

"How's Peter? Do you still hate him?" she asks.

"It's kind of hard not to talk to him when he makes you feel miserable at the dinner table," I say. She sighs and rubs my shoulder with her hand.

"I'm sorry. It's not fair to you. They're probably going to get married," she says. I nod my head. Yeah, that's what I worry. He's going to be my step-father. Oh my gosh!

We arrive at the bus stop. We see our classmates mingling on the sidewalk. I see Garrett standing by himself. Yeah, he broke up with his girlfriend over the summer. I feel bad for him. He deserves a good girl in his life.

"Hey, Bryce," he says as I walk over to him. I smile and stand next to him. Juli walks over to her friends and starts talking with them.

"How are you doing?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulders and looks down at the ground. I know how he feels. When Juli and I broke up, it was hard for me. But, Juli and I dated for a long time. He only dated that girl for about three months. Still...it's hard.

"I'm okay," he says.

"It's our senior year. That's exciting," I say. He nods his head. I reach out and pat his shoulder.

"Garrett, we've been looking forward to senior year since we were little kids. Let's be exciting, shall we?"

He looks up at me and nods his head. He finally cracks a smile. This is the Garrett I know. I'm glad he's back.

"You're right. I should be happy. I can't wait for this year. It's going to be good. I can feel it," he says. I nod my head. Yeah, I have the exact same feeling. I know it's going to be a good year. Nothing bad is going to happen. It just doesn't work that way.

The bus finally arrives. I walk over to Juli and we both walk on. We walk over to our usual seat and sit down. The bus drives slowly to our school. I love mornings on the bus. It's the only time I can really talk to Juli during the school day. Yes, we have some classes together, but we don't get to talk casually. The teachers are strict. They're pretty stupid.

"Is Garrett okay?" she asks. I look at her and nod my head. Yeah, Garrett is going to be just fine. He'll get over his girl and move onto someone else by September. It'll be fine. He's always like that.

"You know Garrett. He'll bounce back before we know it," I say with a smile. She laughs and nods her head.

"You're right about that," she says.

"We have to make our decisions soon about college," I say. She looks outside and shrugs her shoulders.

"We have the whole year to make that decision. Why should we worry about that now?"

She has a good point, but she always has a good point. That's what is so special about her. She always says the right thing, and it's always at the right time. It's amazing.

"You're right, Juli," I say.

The bus finally arrives at school. We step off and walk into the big building. The seniors are supposed to go to the gymnasium when we first arrive at school. There is a special little parade for the seniors on the first day of school. It's a tradition. Honestly, I've been looking forward to this moment. It's going to be special.

"Let's go to the gym," I tell Juli.

We walk toward the gym. We see some people we know and we wave to them. That's the good thing about the first day of school. You see the people you didn't get to see over the summer. It's nice.

We walk into the gym and find the entire senior class inside. We have a small class. It's about 60 people, so it's not that bad. We stand in line with our class and wait for the parade to begin.

"Are you ready?" I ask Juli. She smiles and nods her head.

"Oh yes! I've been ready for this parade ever since our freshmen year," she says. I agree with her. I'm excited for this moment. I'm glad it's finally here.

"I hope it's as good as I always imagined," she says. I smile and look down into her eyes. I lean down and kiss her on the lips. She pulls away and smiles up at me.

"It will be," I whisper. She blushes and turns around.

The teachers in front of us greet us to the new year. Then, they open the doors to the hallway, and the students at the front of the line begin the parade around the school. The lowerclassmen stand at their lockers and walk us. Teachers stand outside their classes and clap for us. Well, that's what I've always seen. This time, I will experience it for myself. I am a senior after all. I have power!

Juli begins to walk out of the gym and I follow her outside into the hallway. This is it! The year has finally started. Let the memories begin.


	17. Chapter 17

{A/N: I'm sorry for the short chapter, but finals are coming up. I also have a research paper to finish. Ahh! Anyway, here is the next chapter. Happy reading!}

*3 months later*

JULI'S POV

Brrr...it's cold! Isn't it funny how quickly the year has passed already? It's already November! Thanksgiving is coming up, and I am so relieved. I have always liked Thanksgiving. My mom makes a wonderful turkey and other delicious foods. My dad has us say what we are thankful for in life. I am always thankful for my family, friends and that I am healthy. I'm also thankful for Bryce. He is an amazing guy, and I am so glad we are together.

Bryce finally figured out what he wants to do for college. He finally didn't let Peter mess with his brain. Bryce is going to become a psychologist. He wants to help people with their problems, and I don't see anything wrong with that. I am proud of him.

He started applying to a few colleges. At first, he was skeptical of going away to college because he didn't want anything to happen to our relationship. Isn't that romantic and sweet of him? Of course, I told him he can't do that. We will work everything out.

As for me, I figured out what I want to do with my life. I am going to become a doctor. Yeah, I have a passion for medicine and I like to help people too. Bryce and I will both help people, just in different ways.

I have been applying to several schools, and I had to take a pretty big test to get into medical school. I passed it though, so I am good to go! I just have to figure out where I am going to college.

Senior year is a tough time for kids. College is on our brains. We still have to do well on our schoolwork, but we are anticipating graduation. However, I am not letting it affect me. I am still going to work hard, and Bryce has the same determination.

"Hey, Juli."

I look up and see Bryce walking toward me. I am sitting at my locker after school. Yeah, I am sitting on the ground, leaning my back against the wall. It's okay. I'm doing homework until my chemistry study session.

"Hi," I say. He leans down and kisses me on the lips before sitting next to me.

"What are you working on?"

"I have a chemistry study session soon, so I'm just doing some homework," I say.

"Oh, I thought we were going to see a movie?"

I turn my head and look at him. Oh, yeah. We did make plans to see a movie. I completely forgot about it. I have been so busy with school that I forgot. Wow, aren't I awful? Bryce was probably looking forward to it all day.

"I'm sorry. I have to go to this study session. Finals are coming up, Bryce. I have to do well," I explain. He nods his head and smiles.

"No, it's fine, Juli. I know you have to do well to get into medical school."

He leans over and kisses my cheek. He stands up and brushes the dirt off of his pants. I find myself looking at his derrière, but I quickly look away. What the heck was that?

"Thanks for understanding. I'll be home in about an hour. We can hang out," I say. He smiles and nods his head.

"I'll be there. Bye," he says as he turns around to walk out of the school. I sigh and walk him walk away.

I love him. He is the best boyfriend ever. Sure, he is weird, crazy and wacky, but I love him. He is sweet, charming, romantic and so much fun. I love him. I don't think I could ever fall in love with another guy. Bryce is The One. You know what I mean?

"Juli, come on!"

I glance up and see my friend, Ginger, standing outside the chemistry lab. I smile and stand up from the floor. I grab my books and walk toward her.

"Sorry, Ginger. I was off in another world," I say as I walk into the lab.

"You can say that again! I called your name like three times. Were you thinking about Bryce?" she asks.

"As a matter of fact, I was."

She makes awwww and oooooh sounds, and I roll my eyes. I met Ginger last year in chemistry class. She recently moved to our town and she needed a friend. We quickly became friends, and before we knew it, we were best friends. She is so smart and funny. I'm glad she moved here.

"Juli, you remember Mark Peterson, right?" she asks. I look up and see Mark Peterson standing at a lab table. He smiles and nods his head.

Mark Peterson...the name sounds so familiar. I think he is a chemistry student, but he is in a different class period than us. Why is he here?

"Are you in Period 4?" I ask. He nods his head and grabs a lab coat. He hands it to me.

"Yeah, and you're in Period 3. It's the same class, just different periods. I guess so many people wanted to take advanced chemistry this year. Anyway, finals are coming up, and I heard there was going to be a study session. I hope I am not interrupting or messing up your plans," he says.

I stare at him. His voice is so elegant and charming. I have never heard someone speak like that before. It's amazing.

"You're fine. The more the people there are the merrier!" Ginger shouts.

I put my lab coat and walk over to my lab table. I grab my workbook and open it to page 22.

"What are we going to do first?" he asks.

"I think we should complete the lab on page 22. Mr. Ryerson told us we have to complete a lab as part of the final. That's a good one to do," I say. I turn around and tell everyone else at the study session what to do, and we quickly get to work.

"So, Juli, how come your boyfriend isn't in this class?" Mark asks. I roll my eyes and grab a beaker from the cupboard.

"Bryce is smart in math and the social sciences. Chemistry isn't his best subject," I say.

"How long have you two been dating?" he asks.

"Will you please work on your lab?" I ask. I turn around to look at him, but find his charming hazel eyes staring at me. I find myself blushing, but I stop myself. What am I doing?

"As you wish," he says. (Who gets that reference?)

I turn around and find myself blushing again. Stop it, Juli! What the heck is wrong with me? I'm dating Bryce. I love Bryce. Bryce is the best boyfriend ever. He loves me. He protects me. I love him.

Then, how come I am getting these strange new feelings? What the heck is happening? Why can I not control the urge to walk over and kiss Mark? Why?

WHY?

A/N: Did you like it? Who got the reference? Please tell me in a review. So, do you guys like Mark? What do you think will happen? It's going to be interesting, isn't it? Thanks for reading! I'll try to update soon.

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	18. Chapter 18

(A/N: Well, I feel like I should explain myself! I did not completely abandon this story for a month. That is not what happened. I was in a car accident and I broke my left arm. So, it was hard to type a very long chapter. I apologize, and I hope you forgive me! Anyway, I am back now and ready to write more on Juli and Bryce. Happy reading!)

JULI'S POV

I know this is bad. I know this is wrong. I know I shouldn't be doing this. I know I shouldn't be thinking about this, but I just can't help myself. Why is this happening? Why am I doing this? Why am I behaving this way? Why can't I seem to control my brain? What the heck is going on?

I am sitting in my chemistry class. The new semester has just started. I did very well on my final. I got an A, and I know that is better than well, but oh well. Bryce was so proud of me. He took me out on a special date, which I really enjoyed. But now, I am freaking out.

Mark is in my new chemistry class. He is sitting next to me, and he just looks so...so...adorable. I know I shouldn't be thinking this. I love Bryce. He is my boyfriend. I have loved him all of my life. So, why am I thinking these things about Mark? What is wrong with me?

The bell rings to end class. I glance up at the chalkboard, realizing I did not hear tonight's homework assignment. I jot down the information from the chalkboard and stand up from my desk. I smooth my skirt and look at Mark. He stands in front of me and begins to pick up my textbooks.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Carrying your books to your next class," he says in a sweet, charming voice. I stare up at him and begin to smile, but quickly wipe it off my face. No! He cannot walk me to my next class. Bryce will see it and everything will end badly.

"It's okay. I can do it," I tell him, grabbing my books from his arms.

"I was just trying to help," he says. I begin to walk toward the door when he grabs my arm. "Juli, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Mark. I just can't walk with you in the hall. I'm sorry," I say. I turn around and walk out of the classroom. I glance up and see Bryce leaning against the wall. He smiles down at me and carefully grabs my textbooks.

"I'll carry these for you," he says with a charming smile. I gaze up at him and instantly feel better about myself. Bryce is the one guy for me. Why would I ever question that?

We walk to our next class, which is calculus. I cannot believe that it is already December. Christmas is coming up. I cannot wait! I always love Christmas. My parents decorated the tree last night, and it looks gorgeous. We have homemade ornaments, which I think are more beautiful than the ones you can buy at a store.

"How is your mom?" I ask him. He shrugs his shoulders.

"She's doing alright. She just can't wait until next month," he says. His mom is eight months pregnant, so the baby will be born in January. I think Bryce, deep down, is really excited to become a big brother. I think he will be amazing. He is a very loving person. Plus, I will see how he is with children. You know, in case we have our own.

"Juli!" I hear someone shout my name.

I turn around to find Mark running up to us. My eyes widen in shock and I grab Bryce's hand and hold it in mine. Please don't say anything stupid. Please don't say anything to ruin my relationship with Bryce.

"Hi Mark," I say.

"Why did you run off from me?" he asks as soon as he catches his breath. I shrug my shoulders.

"I was in a hurry," I tell him.

"I was going to carry your books to your next class," he says. This is when I would hit my head with the palm of my hand. Way to go, Mark. Now Bryce is going to be suspicious.

"Why would you do that?" he asks Mark.

"I like to be nice," he answers.

"It's okay. I can carry her books to our next class," Bryce says, glancing down at me. My teeth chatter with nerves. Oh my gosh. I didn't want this to happen. Bryce is going to think I am cheating on him or something like that.

"Are you two dating?" Mark asks.

"Yeah, Mark. I'll see you tomorrow," I say. I turn around and pull Bryce into the classroom. I guide him over to his chair and he sits down. I sit down next to him and stare at him. He looks at me with a shocked expression on his face. What did I do now?

"Juli, what's going on?" he asks.

"Nothing," I quickly say.

"Are you...is he..." he tries to ask. I think I get the message.

"No, Bryce. I mean, I guess I have to tell you the complete truth, don't I? When I first met him, I thought he was cute. He was nice and very sweet to me, but he doesn't compare to the love we have, Bryce. I love you and I always will. Mark is just a sudden crush that popped up out of the blew, but it's over now. I love you," I tell him.

He stares into my eyes and nods his head. He stands up from his seat, leans over and kisses me passionately on the lips. The other students in the class gasp and clap, but we ignore them.

He pulls away and smiles down at me. I guess he forgives me. Thank God.

"I love you too," he says. He sits down in his seat. I gaze at him and feel my heart pounding loudly. Mark could never make me feel this way. Only Bryce can do that.

Our teacher, Mr. Wilson, walks into the classroom. He tells us to open our textbooks to a page and work on problems. I open my notebook to a new page and gaze at the white paper. I grab my pencil and jot down a few words.

I lean across and tap Bryce's elbow with my pencil. He glances up from his work and smiles at me.

"What?" he whispers. I hold up my notebook for him to see. He gazes at it and a huge smile instantly spreads across his face.

In a heart, I have the words: J + B

He leans across and grabs the notebook from me. He leans over the pad of paper so I cannot see what he is writing. I giggle like a preppy girl, but I can't help it. I love this guy.

He straightens his posture and turns to me. He holds up the notebook. He made a few changes to the heart.

J + B = 4EVER

I smile at him and just want to kiss him again. He is completely right. We will always be together, forever. And ever...and ever...and ever.

I tear out the sheet of paper and place it in my book bag to keep forever. I will want that when I am older. I lean over my desk and begin to work on my homework. Today is a good day. No, it is the best day. Half an hour ago, I was thinking about Mark and worrying about my sudden crush on him. Now, I am happier than ever. Mark is out of the picture. Bryce is my one true love, and that will never change.

Never.

A/N: Well, what do you think? Bryce and Juli are perfect for each other. I will post one more chapter before Christmas, and it will be a Christmas chapter. I hope you're excited for it! Review please. I love to hear from you guys. You're excellent!

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	19. Chapter 19: Christmas

{A/N: I said I would have a Christmas story up, and look what I have here! A Christmas story! Aren't I amazing? Well, I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Happy reading!}

BRYCE'S POV

I wake up on Christmas Eve feeling anxious and excited. I also love the holidays. Ever since Juli and I started dating, the holidays have always been a wonderful time for us. We went sledding, had snowball fights and baked gingerbread cookies with her mom. I know this year will also be another amazing Christmas. After all, it is the best time of the year.

I quickly change into a Christmas sweater and run downstairs. My mom hunches over the Christmas tree, trying to fit all of the presents inside. I walk over to her and place my hand on her back.

"Mom, let me help you out," I say, grabbing the presents and stuffing them underneath the tree. She smiles at me and pats my back.

"Thanks, Bryce," she says. She walks into the kitchen. I glance down at Chet, who is sitting in his usual chair. He is still wearing his flannel pajamas. He's reading the newspaper, but he glances up at me with a warm smile.

"You look festive today, Bryce," he tells me. I smile and look down at my clothes. What can I say? I love Christmas!

"Thanks. I'm actually going to spend most of the day with Juli," I say. He nods his head and stands up from his chair.

"Good, I hope you have a good time," he says. My mom walks back into the living room and places her hands on her hips. Oh no. She doesn't look happy.

"Bryce, where are you going? It's Christmas Eve!" she exclaims.

"I'm going over to Juli's house for a while. I'll be back by dinner," I say as I walk over to the front door. I grab my winter jacket and quickly put it on.

"Shouldn't you be spending it with your family?" she asks, raising an eyebrow in disapproval. I sigh and shake my head. She has never cared about it before. Why does she care now? Oh right. Her hormones are all out of whack.

"Lynetta is home, but she's out with her friends. Why didn't you yell at her?" I ask. She shrugs her shoulders.

"She's never home. She never gets to see her friends. You see Juli every single day of the year. I think you can be away from her for two days," she says. Chet turns and glares at her in disapproval.

"Patsy, calm down. He is going to do stuff with Juli, and I think that's great. Let them spend the day together. He said he'll be home before dinner. Calm down," he says. I stare at her. She sighs and shakes her head.

"I guess it just doesn't make sense to me why you always have to spend time with her," she says.

"Oh, and you spend every night with Steven. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me too," I say, not really knowing what I'm doing before the words slip out of my mouth. She turns to me and glares.

"He is the father of my child. Of course I have to spend time with him!" she shouts. She steps toward me, but I open the front door. I don't need this right now. I was in a good mood this morning. I don't want my mother ruining Christmas for me.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to Juli's house now. Bye," I say. I step outside and slam the door shut. I lean against it and sigh. I know I shouldn't fight with my mom, especially since everything about her is weird because of the baby, but I can't help myself. She just made me so mad.

I push myself off the door and walk across the street to Juli's house. I just want everything that just happened to escape from my mind. I just want to be happy now. I want my Christmas spirit to return to my body. That's all I want, and I know Juli can help me with that.

JULI'S POV

"BRYCE! NO!" I laugh as he ferociously tickles me. I laugh and kick at the open air. He laughs and continues his evil crime. We are sitting on my bed. We just finished making Christmas cards for our families.

I lay back on my bed and stare at my boyfriend. He gazes down into my eyes before leaning down to kiss me. I wrap my arms around his neck and smile in the kiss. I already got the best Christmas present ever – a day spent with my boyfriend. It's the best thing I could ever ask for.

He pulls away from me and leans down to look at the cards we made. I lean up and gaze down at them. We really did a good job. I'm proud of us. We know when to work hard and when to play. We compliment each other beautifully.

"Juli, I hope you know how much I truly love you," he says to me as he stares into my eyes. I blush and gaze down into my hands. He always knows what to say to make me blush and feel amazing. I am truly a very lucky girl.

"I love you too, Bryce," I tell him. I lean in and kiss him passionately on the lips. He wraps his arms around my waist and I run my hands through his hair. No matter how many times we kiss, each one is always different and exciting.

I pull away from him before things get out of hand. I stand up and walk over to my bedroom door. I open it and step out into the hallway.

"Mom! Are you ready to open one present tonight?" I ask. It is always a tradition to open one present on Christmas Eve. She turns around and smiles at me.

"Yeah, we're ready," she says. She walks down the hallway to get my older brothers. I turn around and walk over to Bryce, who is still sitting on my bed.

"We're about to open our Christmas Eve gift. Shouldn't you be heading home to your family? It's almost dinner time," I tell him. He sighs and nods his head. He stands up and looks down at me.

"I guess so," he says quietly. What the heck is wrong with him? Five minutes ago, he was perfectly fine. He was laughing and kissing me. Now, he's upset about something. Did I say something wrong?

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Oh, it's just my mom. She's kind of crazy right now. I guess the hormones are just really causing her to overreact about everything. She got mad that I even came over here today. I mean, she even said we spend too much time together, which made me really mad. I love you, Juli. You're my girlfriend. We've been dating for almost five years, if you forget about the whole little breakup we had last year. I love you so much, but my mom is getting mad we spend time together? Who does she think she is to say that? She spends every single night with her stupid boyfriend! Oh, I mean, the father of her freakin' child! She got mad at _me_? No, it doesn't work that way. I can spend as much time as I want with my girlfriend. Thank God Chet was there to stand up for me. I have no idea what I would do without him in my life. She just...she just...GOSH!" he shouts. He paces around my bedroom as he delivers his long speech. I walk over and grab his hands to stop him from walking.

"Bryce, listen to me. I'm sorry your mom is upset about us. She has never seemed upset before," I say. He rolls his eyes and looks down at his feet.

"She's just crazy because the baby is almost here," he says. I think Bryce is very anxious about the baby. He wants it out of his mother as soon as possible. He can't take it anymore, which I don't blame him.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. He shakes his head and places his hand on my cheek. He stares into my eyes and I look into his.

"No, Juli. It's not your fault. You did nothing wrong," he says. I smile and kiss him softly on the lips.

"I hope you're right," I say. He smiles and kisses me again.

"I always am."

I roll my eyes and step away from him. I turn around and walk toward my bedroom door. I grab his hand and pull him toward me.

"Come on. I'll walk you outside," I say. We walk out of my bedroom and into the living room. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to walk him outside."

"Ooooh...you two are standing underneath the mistletoe!" Mark shouts. He turns to Matt and they both begin shouting, "KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS!"

I roll my eyes and look up at Bryce's face. He blushes slightly, but he cannot help but grin at my brother's behavior and reaction to the romantic holly leaves. I shrug my shoulders.

"Should we?" I ask. He smiles and looks down into my eyes.

"We can't break tradition," he says. I roll my eyes and nod my head. He has a point. I lean up and kiss him on the lips. My brothers make weird noises, but I don't care. They have seen us kiss before. It's not new to them.

I pull away and glare at them. They laugh and clap their hands in excitement. Oh brother...

I grab Bryce's hand and we step outside the front door. We walk over to the driveway, holding hands along the way.

"Will I see you at all tomorrow?" I ask him. He smiles and nods his head.

"I think I can stop by for a little bit," he answers.

"Will your mom mind?" I ask. He shrugs his shoulders and looks down at me.

"At this point, I don't really care what my mother thinks," he says. I smile and wrap my arms around his neck. We stand at the end of my driveway, holding each other in our arms.

"Do I have a gift from you?" I ask. He smiles and nods his head. He reaches down and grabs something from his pants pocket. It is a long, black jewelry box. I gasp and glance up at his face. Is it...oh no. He didn't...he couldn't...

I open the box and find a beautiful pearl necklace inside. I gasp and run my fingers along it. No...he didn't do this. It cost too much. He didn't buy me a pearl necklace...but he did.

"Do you like it?" he quietly asks. I glance up at him and nod my head. Oh my gosh. I could cry right now, but I don't want to ruin the moment. I smile and kiss him passionately on the lips. I love it. I absolutely adore this beautiful little necklace.

"I love it, Bryce. Thank you so much. You're the best boyfriend ever. I love you so much," I say. I kiss him again and he smiles in the kiss. He pulls away and pushes the strands of hair out of my face.

"I'm so glad you like it," he says.

"Didn't it cost a lot of money?" I ask. He shrugs his shoulders and plays with my hands.

"Anything is worth it for you," he says. I blush and look into his eyes. I am so lucky to have a boyfriend like Bryce. He always makes me feel special.

"I love you," I whisper. He smiles and leans his forehead against me. He rocks me back and forth in his arms.

"I love you too, Juli," he says before kissing me softly on the lips.

"Merry Christmas," I say. He smiles and kisses my cheek.

"Merry Christmas."

He turns around and walks across the street toward his house. I smile and gaze up at the sky. The wind shifts and blows into my face. Snowflakes descend from the sky and I happily giggle. The day just couldn't get any better. I turn around and skip toward the front door of my house. Yeah, this has been the best Christmas ever!

A/N: Did you like it? Please send a review! Oh, I just want to wish everyone happy holidays! I hope everyone has a fun time. I will see you guys in 2013! Whoop whoop!

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	20. Chapter 20

{A/N: Hi! I am so sorry it took me forever to update this story, but I have been so busy with school that time got away from me. I apologize, but I am back and hopefully I can write more frequently on this story. Well, I hope you like this chapter. Happy reading!}

JULI'S POV

"JULI! JULI, IT'S BRYCE!"

I wake up from a pleasant dream about Bryce and me going on a picnic to the sound of someone tapping on my window and shouting my name. I sit up in my bed and try to focus my eyes on the dark bedroom.

I stand up from my bed and walk over to my window. I move the curtains to the side and slide the window open. The cold January air fills my bedroom and I grab my robe to wrap around my shivering arms.

"Bryce, what are you doing? What's going on? Do you know what time it is?" I ask. He frantically nods his head.

"Yeah, it's 3 o'clock in the morning, and my mom is having the baby!" he shouts. I gasp and open the window wider. Why is he here then? Shouldn't he be on his way to the hospital?

"Oh my gosh! Well, what's going on? Is she at the hospital?" I ask him.

"We're ready to go now. Do you want to come?" he asks me.

I stare at him and think about his question. He wants me to come to the hospital with him? That is really sweet, but I am not a family member. I don't have a reason to be there. I will just be in the way, and I don't want to do that. His mother is going to be very uncomfortable for the next several hours. I don't want to make anything worst.

"Juli, did you hear me? Come on! Answer! We have to go!" he shouts into my face.

I cover his mouth with my hand to stop his yelling. I don't want him to wake up my parents. If they heard him saying, "Come on! Answer! We have to go!" they might assume we are running away to elope. I don't want them to think that at all.

"Oh, yeah. I don't think I should go, Bryce. I don't want to be in the way," I say. He frantically shakes his head and grabs my shoulders.

"Please Juli! I want you to come! I need you there. For me, please?"

I stare into his eyes. I see the panic and worry pulsing throughout his body and I suddenly realize that Bryce is about to become a big brother. He is freaking out right now. He wants to be a good brother to this baby, but I already know he will be. He just doesn't realize it.

I should go. I _need _to go. Bryce needs me, and as his girlfriend, I am always supposed to be there for him. So, why should this be any different? It's not. I am going to the hospital, even though it is a school night. I don't care. Bryce needs me and I will be there for him.

"I'm coming," I say.

I lean down and kiss him on the lips for support and encouragement. I know he is nervous and scared that something will go wrong during the delivery, but nothing will happen. His mom has delivered two babies. Everything will be okay.

I turn around and walk over to my closet. I need to change fast. Pregnant women can't wait for anybody.

BRYCE'S POV

As I sit in the waiting room, I think about everything that can go wrong. My mom is in the delivery room, doing God knows what that could possibly be really painful. I hope she is okay, but how am I supposed to know? I am not allowed to go inside. I can only sit in this stupid chair and wait for the good news on if I have a baby brother or a baby sister. That moment seems like it will never be here. We have already been at the hospital for three hours. How long does this usually take anyway?

"Bryce, are you okay?" Juli asks me as she rubs my shoulder with her soft hands. I smile at her and nod my head. I am trying to be positive for Juli. I don't want her to know that I am dying inside.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," I tell her. She stares at me the way she does when she is in deep thought. She knows I'm lying to her. She can always tell when I am not telling the truth. I guess it's one of the things I love about her. She reads me like an open book.

"I know you're lying. What's wrong?" she asks. I sigh and stare into her eyes. I know I can tell her truth, and I should, but I can't help but hesitate. I know I shouldn't think about this, but I just can't help it.

"I'm scared," I whisper. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and gives them a tight squeeze for support. God, I love her.

"She's going to be okay," she says. I shake my head. That isn't what I am talking about. I knew she wouldn't understand. Of course she wouldn't understand.

"I'm scared for the baby," he says.

"Why are you scared for the baby? The baby will be fine!" she says. I stand up from my chair and look down at her. I can't control this anymore. I know I shouldn't be forcing my anger and anxiety on Juli, but I just can't help it. I can't control my emotions.

"That's what they said before I was born! They didn't know the umbilical cord was going to wrap around my throat twice until I was being delivered. What if it happens again? What if the doctor this time isn't quick? He was quick with me, but this is a different doctor! What if something happens? My baby brother or sister might end up being exactly like your—" I say, not really knowing what I'm saying until Juli stands up from her chair. Her eyebrows are scrunched together and she doesn't look happy.

"Like my uncle? Is that what you were going to say?" she asks.

I stare at her from a long moment before sitting down in my chair again. No, I didn't mean to say that. I didn't mean to mention her uncle today. I don't know why I did that. I don't know what I am doing anymore.

"You know I didn't mean to say that," I tell her. She stares down at me and nods her head.

"You think your brother or sister is going to be 'retarded' like my uncle? Is that what you're worried about? How ridiculous is that?! My uncle is a person, just like everyone else! So what if your baby brother or sister is going to be born with a mental disorder? You should love them no matter what! That is your job as its older brother to love the baby, no matter what is wrong with them. Do you understand what I mean?"

I stare at her as she speaks and find myself feeling guilty. She is absolutely right. I should love my baby brother or sister, no matter what they look like. Our family should love everyone no matter what.

I stand up and brush the hair away from her face. I lean my head down and press my lips tightly against hers. I wrap my arms around her waist and she presses her chest against mine. I smile and break off the kiss. I look down into her eyes and continue to smile.

"Thanks. I realize what you mean now. I love you so much, Juli," I tell her. She smiles and kisses my cheek.

"I love you too, Bryce," she says.

I continue to hold her in my arms. We rock back and forth, swaying to the waiting room music. I kiss her cheek, her neck and her ears. She giggles and runs her hands through my hair in a way that captivates me.

"Do you ever think someday we will be here giving birth to our own child?" I ask her quietly. She pulls away from me and looks into my eyes. She smiles and I can see the love written in her eyes. She slowly nods her head.

"I sure hope so," she whispers.

I kiss her again and feel like my heart is on fire, not by sad emotions but because of my love for the girl in my arms. I hope we have children, but we have to get married first. Do I want that to happen? Heck yeah. I would be dumb not to marry Juli Baker.

"Bryce Loski?" a voice interrupts us.

I turn around to find a nurse standing in front of the waiting room door. Oh no. Is something wrong? Did something happen? What happened? Who is hurt? Is the baby okay?

"What happened? Is everything okay? Is anyone hurt? Is the baby okay? Tell me!" I shout as I hurry over to her. She laughs at me and shakes her head. Is that an answer? The baby isn't okay? What is going on!?

"Don't worry. Your baby brother is perfectly fine. Your mom is in wonderful condition as well. She did a great job, with the help of her husband, of course," she says.

I wince when she says that my mom has a husband when they are just engaged. The wedding may be called off or something like that. She is not going to marry that jerk.

"Can I see my brother?" I ask her. She smiles and points to the viewing glass window.

I walk over to it and stare into the room filled with small babies. They are all so cute and adorable, but which one is my brother? Is he even in here?

A door opens and a new baby is brought into the room. The nurse lays him down into a small crib and I stare at the baby. I feel like that baby is a member of the family. When the nurse points out my baby brother for me, and it is indeed the baby I spotted. I knew it was my brother. 

"He is so precious," Juli whispers next to me.

I stare at his blond hair and blue eyes. He is asleep right now, and he looks so peaceful. He is the perfect baby. I have never seen a cuter baby than he is right now. I wonder what his name is.

The door opens and Chet walks through the door. He looks at me and smiles. He walks over to us and places his hand on my shoulder. He turns and looks at his newest grandchild. He gazes at the baby with admiration and joy.

"Isn't he perfect?" he asks me. I nod my head and look up at him. Chet looks so happy right now. In all honesty, I am too. I know that I hate Steven, but I don't care right now. He helped produce a beautiful child, so I guess he is okay right now.

"Do you know his name?" I ask him.

"Landon Loski," he says. Landon...Landon...I like it. It suits him just fine. He looks like a Landon.

As I stare at Landon, my heart fills with excitement and joy. I love Landon. I will do anything to protect him. As I look at his blond head, I feel myself looking at Landon as not just a baby, but as my brother.

He is definitely a Loski now.

A/N: Well, what do you think? Do you guys like the name, Landon? Doesn't he sound like a cute baby boy? Blond hair and blue eyes! So cute! Well, please review. I like to read them. That's all I ask. Thanks guys!

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	21. Chapter 21

{A/N: Yeah, I know I haven't updated in like forever, but I am back with a new chapter. I am thinking of ending this story soon and making a sequel after that. High school is almost over for Juli and Bryce. They only have two months left. I am planning on having the chapters in this story be about prom, graduation and then one or two chapters during the summer. Then, I will end it and start the sequel. It will be about the college years for them. Just to change things up a little bit! So, I hope you guys are okay with that. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I find it really cute, so I hope you do too. Happy reading}

JULI'S POV

As time quickly moves on, I realize that it is already April. This means that I only have two months left of high school before I am a big girl, leaving for college and experiencing new things in life. Things I don't really want to think about right now.

These past three months have been crazy, and I wish I can say that I have seen Bryce more than ever, but that's not the truth. He has been so busy with the baby. His mom found a new job so she can pay for the new expenses of having a little baby to care for, so that leaves Bryce in charge after school. Sure, Chet helps out some, but he is getting older too. He can't take care of a baby like he used to when he was a father. Arthritis has hit his legs badly. He is in a wheelchair all the time now, but he still manages to tend my yard with me. He loves doing that, and I love spending time with Chet. He is the grandpa I always wanted.

I'm not mad at Bryce. I understand that he is busy. He feels horrible about it too, so I can't be mad at him. He just wants to be a good brother to Landon before he has to leave for college.

Speaking of college, we both made a decision on where we're going. I surprisingly managed to be accepted into Northwestern University's School of Medicine. I am looking forward to moving to Chicago this fall and starting a new chapter of my life story.

As for Bryce, he was accepted into University of Wisconsin for psychology. He's excited about moving there, but I feel like he is disappointed that he has to move so far away from his family, especially since he has a new baby brother. He wants to be a part of his childhood, but he can't do that when he lives far away. Lynetta, on the other hand, could really care less. She's graduating college this year, and after graduation, she is moving as far away from home as possible. She said she would even love to move to a different country. That's Lynetta for you.

As for our relationship, his college is only two and a half hours away from Northwestern. We can visit each other on the weekends. It's nice to know that he isn't too far away from me, in case I really need to see him. I'll still miss him, of course. I love him. I want everything to remain perfect, but I know the future always gets muddy. That's the worse thing about it.

"Juli, I made you cookies. Do you want one?" Bryce asks me as he walks up to my locker at school. I toss my backpack inside and look up at him. Bryce baked cookies? What is going on?

"I don't know if I should trust you or not," I say with a laugh. He smiles and shakes his head.

"I made them special, just for you. You have to eat one. Come on," he says.

I sigh and nod my head. Okay, fine. I will try one, but if I choke to death or something, I will come back and haunt him.

I lift them lid and stare at the cookie underneath it. I gasp and see what kind of cookie it is. It's a sugar cookie with pink frosting. Using sprinkles, he wrote out "PROM?" on the frosting. Now...how adorable is that!

"Bryce, oh my goodness! I can't believe you did this!" I loudly shout in the hallway. He smiles at me and nods his head.

"Will you go to prom with me?" he asks. I stare at him and nod my head. Of course I'll go. Who else would I even want to go with?

"Of course! Hopefully, we won't break up before the dance this year," I say jokingly, but when I look up at his face, I regret the words I spoke. He looks down at his feet and sighs. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say.

"That was an awful time for me," he mutters. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him on the lips to reassure him that we won't break up anytime soon. I love Bryce, and I know Bryce loves me too. That's all we need now.

"It was awful for me too, but it won't happen again. Trust me. I love you, Bryce. I can't imagine my life without you. I loved you ever since I first saw you when I was little. I knew you were going to be the boy..." my voice trails off, and he raises his eyebrow at me.

"What were you going to say?" he asks me. I gulp and shake my head. No, no...don't say it, Juli. Don't say it now.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter," I whisper. He grabs my shoulders and looks into my eyes. He forces me to stare straight back into his perfect blue eyes. I even blush looking at him. He's so dreamy and perfect. Why is he dating me again?

"It does too matter. It matters to me. What is it?" he asks. I sigh and look away from his eyes. Fine. It won't kill me to say it. Or, at least I don't think it will kill me.

"I knew from the moment I met you, you were going to be the boy I was going to marry," I tell him.

I avoid his eyes, but out of the corner of my eye, I see a smile. I look at him and find him smiling wide and staring into my eyes. He isn't blushing or acting awkward. He's smiling and looking happy. Maybe it wasn't that bad after all.

"Juli...I can't believe you just said that to me..." he whispers.

"I'm sorry," I mutter. He laughs and shakes his head.

"Don't apologize! I've been waiting for you to say that ever since I fell in love with you!" he shouts.

A couple people in the hallway turn around and look at us. They roll their eyes and step away from us, but I don't really care. Nothing matters when I'm with Bryce.

"Really?" I ask him. He smiles and nods his head.

"Absolutely. God, I love you," he says.

He leans forward and kisses me passionately on the lips. He pushes my body up against my locker door, and I wrap my arms around his neck. I smile in the kiss. I can never get tired of these special moments with Bryce. They are truly the textbook definition of a perfect moment.

"Break it up!" Mrs. Johnson, the school librarian shouts at us as she walks past us to the library. Bryce pulls away from me and we both laugh from embarrassment.

The bell rings and I close my locker. I turn around and follow Bryce to our first class, while holding hands.

I have exactly two weeks to get ready for prom. I have to find my dress and everything, but I shouldn't worry. I'm Juli Baker. I can do anything.

A/N: What do you think? I just love their relationship so much. It's very cute, but they are still innocent teenagers. It's so cute! Again, there will only be a few chapters left in this story before I make the sequel. I already have the ideas planned out. I'm excited to do it. I hope you are excited for it as well! Review please. I love hearing your thoughts on the story. It helps me write faster.

As always,

Fiddlegirl


	22. Chapter 22: Prom

**(A/N: I'm sorry it took me forever to update on this story, but I have a very special chapter for you guys! I hope you really like it. So, once you are done, please review. I love hearing your thoughts! Thanks! Well, happy reading!)**

JULI'S POV

"Mom! The dress isn't right! It doesn't fit!" I shout from my room.

I stare at myself in the mirror as I try to squish my body into my prom dress. No, no, no. Prom is tonight and I suddenly can't fit in my dress! How could I have had this happen to me? There is no way I gained that much weight! I watch what I eat. I really do, so how did this happen?

I run my hands across my forehead, and try to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks. I have a beautiful dress, and now I can't even wear it. I'll have to wear a dress Bryce has seen me wear dozens of times. Sure, he wouldn't mind, but deep down, I know he wants me to wear my new dress. I told him about it, and when I did, he sounded so excited to see it.

It's a beautiful dress. I was actually shocked when I was able to buy it, considering the price. It's a strapless baby blue dress with lace and ruffles. White sparkles are placed on the ruffles and my waist. It's beautiful, and it's probably the best dress I will ever own, except my wedding dress, of course.

As I try to pull the zipper up all the way, I groan in frustration. Come on! I can do it. I _have _to wear this dress. It's perfect. I even bought a new strand of pearls to wear with them. I will look beautiful, if I can actually zip up the dress.

"Juli, what's wrong?" my mom asks me as she walks into my bedroom.

"My dress doesn't fit!" I shout with frustration.

"That's impossible. You just bought it not too long ago. You didn't gain any weight," she says as she walks over to me. She looks at my dress and then begins to laugh. I look at her through the mirror, trying to figure out how she can possibly find this amusing.

"What is it? Why are you laughing?" I ask her.

"Honey, you did the buttons all wrong. No wonder you can't zip it up. You are messing your dress up," she tells me while laughing at my stupid mistake.

I blush and allow her to fix my dress. She zips it up and it easily fits onto my body. I sigh and stare at my reflection in the mirror. I was right. It is perfect. Sighing with relief, I grab my strand of pearls and attach it securely around my neck. I gulp and run the brush through my curly brown hair. I managed to curl my hair this afternoon. I thought since prom is a pretty special night, I might as well do everything to look perfect for Bryce.

"Why are you so worried?" my mom asks me as I run my hands through my hair. I shrug my shoulders and turn around to face her. I wish I can actually answer her. I don't know why I am so nervous. It's just a dance.

But it's not just a dance. It's _prom. _It's the end of the year. Before I know it, I will be graduating from high school and heading off to Northwestern, leaving my life behind. My life with Bryce, my precious Bryce. What will happen after that?

"I guess I just want tonight to be perfect," I tell her as I sit down on my bed.

"It will be," she answers.

"This is kind of like our last big thing. You know, before graduation. It's like our last moment as teens together. Who knows what will really happy after graduation?"

She walks over to me and sits down on the bed next to me. She wraps her arm around my shoulders and shakes her head.

"Honey, if Bryce is the one for you, you will have to fight to make sure things stay okay during college. Besides, if he cares about you like I think he does, he won't let you go," she tells me.

"Did Dad and you ever have moments where things seemed uneasy or you would be apart for a while?" I ask.

"Oh sure! Love isn't easy. But, don't worry about it. It's not like you two are going to break up. You're not even fighting. You're just going to have to work hard to keep things exactly the way they are right now during college. Does that make sense?" she asks me.

"I hope you're right."

"Honey, I am your mother. I am always right," she says with a smile before standing up from my bed. She walks over to the door and looks back at me. "You really do look beautiful. I am so happy for you. I can't…I can't believe you're graduating soon. My little baby is becoming a woman."

I roll my eyes and stand up from my bed. She's already getting emotional. How is she going to handle it when I move away for college? She'll be bawling like a child.

"Stop it. I'm still going to be your little girl until I'm fifty," I tell her. She laughs and pats my back.

"Good. That's nice to hear."

"JULI! Bryce is here!" my dad shouts from the living room.

I gulp and look at myself one more time in the mirror. I turn to my mother and smile.

"I'm ready."

I walk out of my bedroom and walk down the hallway to the living room. I stop when I see Bryce standing next to my dad, talking about the latest baseball game on television. He's wearing a classic black tuxedo. He has a baby blue tie on to match my dress. It looks perfect. In his hand, I see a box containing a baby blue corsage. I smile and walk over to them.

I clear my throat and Bryce turns to look at me. He smiles and I blush at the thought of maybe what he is thinking right now. I hope he thinks I'm pretty. I always try to look beautiful for Bryce, but he always says I never have to try. I'm beautiful no matter what.

"Juli, you look, you look amazing," Bryce tells me as I blush again. I guess I did a good job with the dress after all.

"Thanks. You look nice too," I tell him.

"Pictures!" my mom shouts as she walks into the family room. I roll my eyes and shake my head. Do we always have to take pictures?

"We better do what she says. She's a mother," Bryce tells me. I laugh and nod my head. He is right about that.

Bryce and I stand next to each other near the fireplace. He wraps his arm around my waist and my smile brightens as I think about how much I care about him. I love him so much, and I am going to follow my mom's advice. Nothing bad is going to happen to us during college. Bryce loves me and I love him.

My mom takes several pictures of us. I finally have to hold up my hands and tell her to stop before she blinds us. She rolls her eyes and decides to let us go.

"Be safe!" she shouts as we step outside of my house. Bryce closes the door and I look at him and laugh.

"I told you she was going to go crazy with the pictures," I tell him.

"Well, I don't care. It'll be something to remember forever," he says.

I blush and look at him. He smiles and steps toward me.

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?" he asks me. I blush and nod my head.

"Yes, but it doesn't hurt to hear it again."

He laughs and leans forward. He kisses me softly on the lips. I pull away and blush again. He has the best thank yous in town.

"Come on. Chet wanted to get some pictures in before we left for prom," he tells me, tugging on my arm. I groan and follow him across the street toward his house.

"No more pictures!" I shout. He laughs and we open the door to his house.

"Come on. He wants to see you anyway," he says.

We walk into his house and Chet instantly walks over to us. A huge smile spreads across his face and I can't help but smile. I love Chet. He's just like my own grandpa. I will miss him so much next year.

"Juli! You look absolutely gorgeous!" he shouts. I blush and run my hands through my hair.

"I love your dress," his mother says as she walks into the living room, with baby Loski attached to her hip.

"Thanks, Mrs. Loski," I tell her.

"Ahhhhh! It's prom night, isn't it?" a voice asks from behind Bryce's mother.

I turn around and see Peter walking into the room. I turn to Bryce and he rolls his eyes. Why is he even still around?

"Well, aren't you going to say hi to me Jodie?" he asks me. I turn around and shake my head. He doesn't even know my name.

"My name is Juli," I tell him.

"Potato, potata," he says, pronouncing potato completely wrong.

"I want some pictures," Chet says. Bryce and I laugh as we walk over to the fire place. Bryce wraps his arms around my waist and I smile into the camera. I don't mind taking pictures for Chet. He is a sweet man. I will do anything for him.

"We better go," Bryce says.

"Yeah, we don't want to be late," I add.

"Oh! I made brownies for you guys to enjoy on the way there!" his mom exclaims.

"Mom, you didn't have to do that," Bryce tells her. She shrugs her shoulders and smiles.

"I still remember my senior prom. I went with Johnny Osmen. He had his own car and we went with our friends. It was an amazing night," she says.

"It was also the first time I learned that you got drunk in public," Chet mutters underneath his breath.

"Dad, don't tell the kids that!"

"Well, it's the truth," he says.

"Well, that's how I like my little Patsi. Drunk and crazy!" Peter shouts. Mrs. Loski turns around and slaps his arm.

"Stop it! I am never drunk!" she yells. She sighs and turns to face us. "I really don't drink."

"I believe you," I tell her.

"We should probably go," Bryce says again, guiding me to the front door. I know what he's thinking. Get us out of here.

We walk over to the front door and open it. We step outside and close the door behind us. We both look at each other and start to laugh. Freedom! We can finally have fun!

Bryce grabs my hand and we walk toward our school. I don't really know what to expect with prom, but I just hope it's going to be fun. Not only is it one of the last things Bryce and I get to do together before graduation. I just hope it is the best night of our lives.

We arrive at the backdoor to the gymnasium. I hear music blaring outside and my adrenaline already starts pumping. I'm really excited now to just begin dancing and having fun. Bryce grabs my hand and we walk into the gymnasium. Bright lights flash around the gym floor. The prom theme was "Under the Sea." So, mermaids, dolphins and sea urchins are plastered all over the gym. Blue balloons hang from the ceiling. The school wasn't kidding. They really were going all out for this year's prom. Way to go, senior class!

"Juli! Bryce!" my friend, Annie, shouts at us as we walk over to the dance floor. I smile and walk over to her and her date, Thomas.

"Hey, you look so pretty," I tell her.

"Not as pretty as you! Your dress is perfect!" she shouts. I blush and shake my head. I wish they were right.

"If you guys don't mind, I am going to dance with my beautiful girlfriend," Bryce tells them as he grabs my arm. He guides me over to the dance floor, where he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me toward his body.

"Do you know how worried I was tonight?" he asks me.

"You were worried?" I ask, completely shocked that he was worried about tonight. It kind of makes me feel better about myself. I was worried too. No, I wasn't just worried; I was petrified.

"Yeah, I couldn't button up my suit or even put on my tie. It was insane!"

"Well, if you think that is bad, I thought I gained twenty pounds when I couldn't zip up my dress because I messed up some of the buttons. My hands were shaking so much, I guess I messed it up," I tell him with a laugh.

He laughs and shakes his head. He stares into my eyes and I instantly feel calm.

"Well, you look beautiful, even if you were twenty pounds heavier. You're always beautiful to me. But, why were you worried? I was worried because I thought you wouldn't be happy with the way I look," he tells me. I sigh and shake my head.

"I wasn't worried about that. I was just worried because…I'm worried about the future," I tell him.

"The future? What do you mean?" he asks.

"Well, think about it. This is really the last moment for us. Is it not? It's really important that we stay together in college because I love you so much, but I guess I'm worried that we will drift apart. I don't want that to happen," I explain to him. He shakes his head and leans his forehead down to touch mine.

"No, please don't worry about that. You have loved me ever since you were eight years old. I've loved you ever since the seventh grade, but let's be honest. I probably loved you way before then. You are so important to me. I won't ever let you go, unless you seriously want to break up. Do you want to break up with me?" he asks me.

I quickly shake my head. No, I don't want to break up. I love Bryce. I love him more than anything. I just want to make sure our relationship lasts forever.

"I love you, Bryce. I don't want to break up. I just want to make sure we will stay together forever," I tell him. He kisses me softly on the lips.

"Please don't worry about that. This isn't the last night for us. It's just the beginning," he tells me. He kisses me again and I wrap my arms around his neck.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please don't forget to vote for your prom king and queen sometime tonight before nine o'clock. We crown the couple at 9:15!" Mrs. Johnson, one of the science teachers, tells us through the microphone.

"Everyone will vote for you, Juli!" Annie shouts to me from across the dance floor. I roll my eyes and shake my head.

"Yeah, in your dreams!" I shout to her with a smile.

"She's right though. You're the prettiest girl here," Bryce says. I turn to him and smile.

"You're just saying that because I am your girlfriend."

"No, I'm saying it because it's the truth. You're my queen any day," he says, kissing me softly on the lips. I blush and pull away. I grab his arm and we walk over to the refreshments table. Next to the punch bowl is the box for prom king and queen.

"You guys should really vote," Sissy Paff tells us as she sits behind the table.

I kind of feel bad for Sissy. She is senior class president, so she has to tally up the votes and monitor the refreshments table. She has to do that instead of actually enjoy the prom with her boyfriend, Clyde Lewis.

"Oh, I know I won't win," I tell her.

"Well, you don't have to vote for yourself. You can vote for one of your friends. But, I wouldn't be so negative of yourself, Juli. You are gorgeous tonight. That dress is absolutely stunning. I wish I found it," she tells me. I blush again as I grab a piece of paper. Bryce grabs a piece too and quickly writes down two names. He stuffs his ballot into the box and looks at me.

"Come on, let's go back to the dance floor," he says.

I quickly write down Bryce's name for prom king and I decide to vote for myself for prom queen. If Bryce wins, which I wouldn't be surprised, I wouldn't want him to dance with anyone else besides me. Bryce might win. He is very handsome. He always has been, but he looks really cute tonight. I am one lucky girl.

We walk back to the dance floor and begin to dance with Annie and some other friends. Bryce eventually finds Garrett and his current girlfriend, Stephanie. I am so glad Bryce is friends with Garrett again. They are as close as ever. It's like nothing ever really happened between them, and I'm glad. Yeah, Garrett gets on my nerves sometimes, but let's face it. A guy always needs a best guy bud around to hang out with. He can't always hang out with his girlfriend. He needs some guy talk.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it may be hard to believe, but it is already 9:15. It's time to announce our prom king and queen. To help us out, we have your senior class president, Sissy Paff, to announce the winners," Mrs. Johnson tells us as she stands on the stage. I can't believe how quickly the night has gone by.

Sissy walks onto the stage and some of the guys whisper at her appearance. She smiles and shrugs her shoulders. She walks over to the microphone and holds up the envelopes.

"Well, I tallied up the votes, and I just want to thank everyone for voting for this year's prom king and queen. It wasn't that hard to count the votes when most of the votes were for this couple. Gosh, I remember when this couple first started dating. I thought they wouldn't last. Honestly, I secretly hoped I would end up with that boy, but I am so glad he is still with this girl. They are perfect for each other. Also, I think this is a good moment to just think my fellow class for an amazing senior year. It was so much fun for me, and I hope it was as fun for you. So, here we go. Your prom king and queen is….Bryce and Juli!" she shouts into the microphone.

The crowd around us erupts into applause and I stand there with a shocked expression on my face. Oh my gosh! I won prom queen? Bryce and I actually won? I can't believe it! Who would vote for me? I'm not that popular. I'm not that pretty. I'm just average. I guess people like that. Or, they just like the relationship Bryce and I have.

Bryce grabs my hand and we walk up to the stage. Sissy places a crown on my head. I blush and look out at the senior class. They shout with joy and clap for us.

"Now, as usual, the king and queen will have their dance together," Sissy says.

The class makes room for us as we walk down to the dance floor. Bryce wraps his arms around my waist and I place my hands on his shoulders. The music is very slow and we both sway to the music.

"Juli, I love you so much," he tells me as he stares into my eyes.

"I love you too. I never want this moment to end," I say. I kiss him softly on the lips. He pulls away and looks down at the floor. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just was thinking about something earlier," he says.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Well, I didn't really tell you this, but I kind of changed my mind about college. I don't think I want to go to Wisconsin anymore," he tells me. Wait, what? Why did he change his mind? Wisconsin is so close to Northwestern! Where did he decide to go? Is it farther away? Why didn't he tell me this?

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

"Northwestern," he whispers.

He then looks up at me with a huge smile on his face. I gasp and smile.

"I thought you weren't accepted!" I shout.

"No, no. I was. I just decided to keep it a secret from you to surprise you," he says. I laugh and hug him closely. I kiss him on the lips and sigh with relief.

"So, that means we're going to be okay? We won't even have to worry about college because you will always be with me," I say. He nods his head and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Yeah, you won't have to worry about a thing. Everything will be okay."

He kisses me again and I loose myself in the kiss. I can't believe this just happened. Bryce and I are going to be together, forever. I don't have to worry about anything. We will go to Northwestern together. We will see each other all the time. We will graduate together and eventually get married. Everything will be absolutely amazing.

Bryce was right. Tonight isn't the end of anything. It's just the beginning.

The beginning of the rest of our lives.

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this prom special chapter! It took a long time to write this chapter because I wanted it to be special. I hope everyone liked it. Also, I am including a link to a picture of Juli's prom dress. In case you are interested in seeing what she looked like, click on the link. Please review. I really enjoy hearing what you think about the chapter. I will try to update as soon as I can. Thanks for reading! **

**As always, **

**Fiddlegirl **

**Link to picture: 3426/3374320063_ **


	23. Chapter 23: Graduation

**Bryce's POV **

"Bryce! We're not waiting forever! Get down here!" my mother shouts from downstairs.

I sigh and stare at myself again in the mirror. I don't really know what to expect right now, but today is not just any ordinary day. I apply more gel to my hair and try to calm the butterflies growing inside my stomach.

I turn around and walk over to my closet. I slip on the long red gown and zip it up. I stare at myself in the mirror. Well, this is it. I am finally in the graduation gown I ordered six months ago. Who knew it would finally be today? Graduation…

"BRYCE!" my mom shouts again.

"I'm coming!" I yell.

I grab the matching red cape and place it on my head. I turn around and smile in the mirror. I don't look that bad. Actually, I look like I belong in this outfit. It suits me.

I open my bedroom door and hurry downstairs. Everyone starts to clap and I find myself blushing from embarrassment. Okay, okay. We get it. I'm a grown up. Do we have to make a big deal about this?

"There's my little boy!" my mom shouts as she leans up to hug me. I roll my eyes and look up at Chet.

"Mom, I'm not a little boy anymore," I tell her.

"I know, but I can always pretend, right?"

Chet walks over to me and pats my shoulder.

"I always wanted to live for this moment, to see you walk across the stage and get your high school diploma. I can't believe it's finally here," he tells me. I laugh and nod my head.

"It's been long for you? Imagine how I feel!"

Everyone just laughs, and then I hear the front door open. I turn around to see Lynetta walk into the house, clutching a boy to her side.

"Good God, you're finally out of high school!" she shouts. She walks over to me and gives me a quick hug.

"Good God, you're finally out of college!" I shout, teasing her. She rolls her eyes and looks back at the boy standing behind her.

"So I dropped out for a year and went back a year later to finish my schooling? I'm a graduate, aren't I? I'm going to be an English teacher, aren't I? A lot better than you, dork," she says.

"At least I'm not going to drop out of college," I tell her. She glares at me and smacks my head.

"That's what I said too when I was a freshman. I dropped out by my junior year and got into some trouble, but I managed to find my way back to college."

"Oh, I don't think Bryce will have a problem with staying in school at Northwestern. Juli is there. She'll keep him in line," Chet says.

I nod my head. He's actually right about that. Juli would never let me drop out of college. She would probably break up with me, and I don't want that to ever happen.

"Speaking of Juli, where is she? I thought she was meeting us here," I say.

"Oh, she stopped by. She'll meet you at school. She had some family stuff going on," my mom says. I nod my head and glance up at the clock. It's time to go. I don't want to be late to my own high school graduation. What kind of impression would that make?

"Can we go now?" I ask.

"What are you in such a hurry for? It's just graduation," Lynetta says.

"Maybe you didn't care about your high school graduation, but I worked hard to earn my grades," I tell her. She rolls her eyes and slaps my head again. "Will you stop doing that?"

"No, never. I like to slap," she says with a smile.

"Don't I know it," the boy behind her says as he wraps his arms around her waist. I glance up at Chet and I see his face is completely blank. I smile and walk toward the door. Oh, it's nice to have my family back together again.

Except…one person isn't here. My dad. I look around the room and everything almost feels normal again. I know it's been years since my dad has actually been in our lives, but it's my graduation. Shouldn't he be here too?

As I stand at the door, I am suddenly pushed toward the wall from the impact of the front door opening, smacking me on the back. I fall forward and catch my balance on the stairs. I turn around and see Peter standing next to me. He looks at me and laughs. He slaps my shoulder, causing me to fall down even more.

"Sorry kid! Didn't see you standing there!" he shouts. He walks over to my mom and plants her a wet kiss right on the mouth. I stare at them and shake my head. He's coming? Why? I don't want him here. If my own dad isn't here, I don't want my step-dad to be here either.

"Peter, you always make a grand entrance," my mom tells him.

"That's how I roll!" he shouts. "Where's Landon?"

"I took him to a neighbor. He's too fussy to take to the graduation," she replies.

"I want my son there! I want him to see a graduation so he will graduate high school too!" he shouts.

I walk toward the front door and open it slightly, hoping to get everyone's attention that we need to go to the graduation ceremony now. Come on, seriously. Do we always have to fight in this family? Can't we all just get along for once?

"Mom, we need to go," I tell her. She glances up at me and then looks at Peter.

"Maybe I should go get Landon…" she says hesitantly. I roll my eyes and tap my finger against the doorknob.

"We'll be late. We're already running late. I don't want to be late to my graduation," I tell her.

"Hey! Don't you want your baby brother to be there?" Peter asks me.

"He won't even remember it. He's a baby. I would much rather get to my graduation on time than go get my brother."

That's when it happens. He marches across the living room and slaps me across the face. My mom shouts at him to stop doing that to me, but he just does it again. I step away from him and shake my head. Why did my mother marry this jerk? He's worse than my own father, and he was bad.

"Give me some respect!" he shouts.

"No, you give ME some respect, Peter! All I want to do is go to my high school graduation! That's all!" I shout.

He slaps me again and I fall back against the door. I stare at him and I feel my temper rising inside of me. I don't want to fight him. Not today, not ever…but he makes me want to punch him right in the nose.

"Peter, please stop it," my mom pleads.

"Yeah, stop slapping Bryce. He just wants to get out of this house. Can you really blame him?" Lynetta asks.

"Cut the guy some slack. He wasn't doing anything wrong," Chet says.

Peter turns around and looks at everybody. He folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head.

"I am the man of this house, but I feel like everybody hates me. Even my own wife is scared of me. Now, we are going to sit down and have a nice, long discussion about this family," he says.

I look up at the clock. It's already one o'clock. Graduation is starting now. I'm late to my high school graduation. Can't I just leave? Please? What did I ever do to deserve this?

"Graduation is starting," I tell Peter. He turns and laughs.

"Do I really give a shit about your high school graduation? No," he answers. My mom gasps and walks over to him. She slaps his across the face and then he just slaps her back.

"I thought I told you not to curse inside my house!" she shouts.

"I can do whatever I want! It's my house!" he yells.

"Can I just go?" I ask.

"No!" Peter asks.

He grabs me by the arm and forces me to sit down on the couch. He walks over and grabs Lynetta and pushes her to sit down next to me. He grabs the boy Lynetta brought and kicks him out the door. He turns around and looks at us.

"No one is leaving this house until we settle everything," he tells us.

"That can take all year," Lynetta mutters underneath her breath.

I turn and look at her. For once, my sister is actually right. My graduation is starting and I'm not even there. I have been waiting for this moment all four years in high school, and I don't even get to have it.

I hate my life.

**Juli's POV **

I turn around in my chair and look for Bryce again, but I don't see him anywhere. He's not in his assigned seat. I turn around and look at the valedictorian, who is giving a speech about how high school was the best time of our lives. I loved high school, but mostly because Bryce made is so special. Everything else was just boring.

I turn around again, hoping to see Bryce's smiling face, but again, his seat is empty. Where is he? I told Chet that I was going to meet him here, and he said, "We'll all be there!" He gave me the biggest hug in the whole world. But as I look up at the audience before us, I see that his family isn't there. No one from the Loski family is here at all, even the graduate. What the heck is going on?

"It is now time to deliver the diplomas to the graduates," our principal, Mr. Evans, tells everyone.

Since my name is near the beginning of the class, I stand up and walk toward the podium. I turn around and look for Bryce, but he still isn't here. He's going to miss me walking across the stage, saying a few words about my high school experience and then walking off the stage as a high school graduate. He promised he would be here, but he's not. Did he skip graduation? That doesn't even sound like Bryce.

Something must be wrong. Did Bryce get hurt on the way here? Did he get kidnapped? Did his entire family get abducted? I know Bryce would never skip his high school graduation. He's been talking about it for months. So, why isn't he here? Where could he possibly be?

"Julianna Louise Baker."

I walk across the stage and stand behind the microphone. I didn't really prepare anything to say. I always thought it would come naturally to me. Maybe I should have prepared a few words so I don't look so stupid.

"I would like to thank my family for supporting me, and I would like to thank my friends for helping me at school. It means a lot to me. I love you all. I am going to Northwestern University in the fall to study medicine. Thank you."

I turn around and walk over to Mr. Evans. He smiles and hands me my diploma. I take it and shake his hand.

"Congratulations," he whispers. I smile and nod my head.

"Thank you."

I turn around and walk down the steps toward my seat. I sit down and open my diploma cover. I look down at the name. Julianna Baker, graduate.

I could not be happier.

**Bryce's POV**

I glance up at the clock and see that it is almost 1:30 pm. Gosh, graduation is probably almost over. They're probably giving out the diplomas as I speak, which means I already missed Juli walking across the stage. I have to do something about this. Peter is just going on and on and on about how we don't act like a family anymore. You know what the problem is, Peter? It's you!

I stand up from the couch and walk toward the front door.

"And where do you think you're going? This conversation is not over, young man," Peter tells me. I turn around and glare at him.

"I'm going to my high school graduation. You can kick me later and do whatever the hell you want, but I don't care. I already missed my girlfriend getting her diploma. I am not going to miss the chance for me to walk across the stage and receive my own diploma," I tell him. He begins to open his mouth, but I just open the door and shake my head. "You wanna know what the problem is? Peter, the problem is you. It has always been you."

I turn around and slam the door behind me. Take that, Peter. You're not speaking to a little kid anymore. You're speaking to an adult. I can talk back to you now. Oh, it's a glorious feeling.

**Juli's POV **

I turn around and look at Bryce's seat. It's still empty. Come on, Bryce. Where are you? Your name is about to be called. They are now at the J's. We are a small class. He better get here before he misses his chance.

"Bryce Loski."

I turn around and look around the auditorium.

"Bryce Loski."

Come on, Bryce. Where are you? Please, hurry up and get your diploma. You deserve it!

Maybe I should stand up and tell Mr. Evans that he isn't here? But what kind of impression will that give?

"Psst…Juli," someone whispers.

I turn around and see Garrett. He leans over and raises his eyebrow.

"Where is he?" he asks me. I shrug my shoulders.

"I have no clue."

"Bryce Loski? Loski? Loski? Loski?" Mr. Evans asks. (If anyone knows THAT reference, tell me in the review. You'll get a reward.)

Then, out of nowhere, the auditorium doors bang open. Bryce runs into the auditorium and hurls himself up onto the stage. He smiles and walks over to the microphone.

"Sorry for being late. Stuff happens. Anyway, I'd like to thank my family for supporting me. Even though they're not here today, I know they're still with me in their thoughts. I'd also like to thank my beautiful girlfriend, Juli Baker. She really is the one who pushed me to do my best. So, thank you. I love you. I will be attending Northwestern University in the fall to study psychology. Thank you."

He turns around and walks over to Mr. Evans. He takes his diploma and shakes his hand. Mr. Evans does not look impressed.

Bryce walks down the stairs and begins to walk over to his seat. He looks over at me and waves.

"Where were you?" I mouth. He shakes his head.

"Later," he mouths back.

I sit back, but I can't help but smile. Bryce Loski is one weird guy, but at least he's my guy.

**Bryce's POV **

As soon as graduation is over, Juli is in my face. I smile and push her away.

"What happened? Where were you? Are you okay?" she asks me. I laugh and put my arm around her shoulder.

"Peter wanted to have a talk about our family. It lasted exactly thirty minutes before I had the guts to stand up and tell him exactly how I feel," I tell her.

"You told him _everything?_" she asks me.

"Well….not exactly, but it was a good start."

She laughs and kisses me on the lips.

"I was so worried when I didn't see you here. I was about to tell Mr. Evans you weren't coming," she says.

"Yeah, it's a good thing I got away when I did. I needed to be here. This is my graduation. If Peter is so stupid to realize that, well, that's his problem," I tell her. She looks up at me and raises her eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing. I just realized that you are becoming a man," she says. I laugh and nod my head.

"Well, believe it because it's happening," I tell her. She smiles and kisses my cheek.

"I think I like it," she says.

"Good. Now, do you want to celebrate? I'll take you out to any restaurant you want. My treat."

"Oh Bryce! We don't have to," she tells me. I lift her chin with my finger and stare into her eyes. I shake my head and kiss her passionately on the lips.

"I know we don't, but I want to. I love you," I tell her. She blushes and looks away.

"I love you too."

I lead her out of the auditorium and toward a restaurant. I know this isn't exactly how I thought my high school graduation would be, but in the end, it turned out to be pretty good. I'm with Juli now, and anytime I'm with her, it's always a good time.


End file.
